Expelled Vice President Joice Mujuru has received a major boost in her challenge against Robert Mugabe as deposed secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa yesterday whipped down and humiliated ZANU PF secretary for the commissariat Saviour Kasukuwere, now referred to as a mafikizolo.
This came just as Mujuru obtained a fresh round of support from hundreds within the new Mugabe-centric faction with axed spokesman Rugare Gumbo insisting at the end of the day that he was still a member of the party shrugging off his ouster which occurred just before last year’s congress.

Kasukuwere on Tuesday said they were ready for Mutasa, but the former Zanu PF honcho says he will not be cowed by the new party secretary for the commissariat.
Kasukuwere said Mutasa’s statement that they did not recognise outcomes of the congress showed that he was always against President Robert Mugabe.
Mutasa yesterday hit back, saying Kasukuwere’s response to his statement betrayed desperation for power and positions.
“I am working for unity in Zanu PF and in the country as a whole,” Mutasa said.
“These are the same lies they have told people before.
“We have never been against our president, but we are against omafikizolo like him who have misled our president.”
On Monday, Mutasa issued a statement to the media accusing party newcomers, whom he described as omafikizolo, of being vultures who have hijacked the party with the intention of destroying it from within.
Kasukuwere, Information minister Jonathan Moyo, Higher Education minister Oppah Muchinguri and former legislator Patrick Zhuwao have been accused of pulling the strings in Zanu PF and determining the ouster of several members, charges they deny.
Mutasa threatened to take the party to court over the congress, describing himself as the bona fide secretary for administration.
Mutasa, Gumbo, former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and 11 ministers were sacked from their positions in Zanu PF and the government for allegedly plotting to kill Mugabe and replacing him with Mujuru.
Mujuru was accused of corruption and abuse of office.
Mutasa has been the most vocal of the fired members and has written to Sadc to have a look at the congress procedures.
On the other hand, Gumbo yesterday said he was still a Zanu PF member and supported Mutasa’s statement calling for the nullification of the party’s December congress.
Gumbo was initially suspended for five years, but was later fired from the party a few days before the congress on charges of conniving with Mujuru in a plot to unseat Mugabe.
He said he and several other vilified party officials, purged for their perceived association with Mujuru, were still operating and fighting for internal democracy from within Zanu PF.
“We want to revert to collective leadership,” he said.
“We have concentrated power on one person and we want to address that.
“We are operating within Zanu PF to find ways of addressing these issues.
“We have argued and said we want to keep the original Zanu PF and we agree with Cde Mutasa on that one.
“The party has departed from the principles and values of Zanu PF, so we are saying let’s return to the values of the party that brought democracy and one man, one vote.”
Gumbo said Zanu PF made a mistake of concentrating power in Mugabe in the last three decades and there was need to correct the anomaly.
The former Zanu PF spokesperson’s utterances come at a time some retired army officials and war veterans, who have also been victims of the Zanu PF purge, were reportedly burning the midnight oil in various provinces plotting to “rescue” the party from omafikizolo.
Mutasa’s statement has reportedly caused unease among Zanu PF members amid fears it could trigger a split in the party.
However, other party hardliners who include Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene and Information minister Moyo have dismissed Mutasa’s statements as inconsequential and a sign of desperation.
Political analyst Ibbo Mandaza said Mutasa’s statement was likely to shake the corridors of power in Zanu PF, as it was a direct challenge to both Mugabe and the congress outcome.
“They are saying the congress was null and void and that the pre-congress status quo should be retained,” he said.
“What happened before congress was the illegal dismantling of elected committees and irregular amendments to the constitution.”
He described Mutasa’s statement as “strong, well-written and obviously prepared by very qualified lawyers”.
Impeccable Zanu PF insiders yesterday said Mutasa’s statement came as a result of a series of meetings by party cadrés who felt the party had been hijacked by those who did not subscribe to the party’s ideologies.
Mujuru, who prior to her ouster appeared a strong contender to succeed Mugabe, has now reportedly extended an olive branch to former party gurus, among them Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader Simba Makoni and Zapu president Dumiso Dabengwa to form a grand coalition. – SouthernEye/Additional Reporting.

ONE person died while four others were seriously injured when a Toyota Estima they were travelling in burst a tyre, veered off the road and plunged into the riverbed of the dry Gwayi River near the 25km peg along Plumtree Road on Tuesday.
Bulawayo chief fire officer Richard Peterson confirmed the accident and said it happened at around 3pm when the Botswana-registered car, carrying five people and destined for the neighbouring country, rolled several times before plunging onto the riverbed.
The driver lost control of her vehicle and it rolled twice before landing on its wheels, trapping two passengers who were later rescued by firemen from the Bulawayo Fire brigade several minutes later.
The driver, (name withheld, because her next of kin have not yet been informed) died on the spot and her body was taken to Figtree Police Station.
The other passengers who were who were trapped inside the vehicle were seriously injured and were taken to Cyrene Hospital for medical assistance.
Matabeleland South Police spokesperson Philisani Ndebele could not confirm the accident as he was not at work, but referred questions to Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi, who was not reachable.
Meanwhile, a man sustained serious injuries after the truck he was driving veered off the road and hit a tree near the 42km peg along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road, as he tried to avoid a pothole at around 10pm on Tuesday.
He was trapped inside the damaged truck for hours before being rescued by firemen, who ferried him to Mpilo Central Hospital. – SouthernEye

Mashonaland Central Provincial Minister Martin Dinha has confirmed in an interview with Studio 7 that First Lady Grace Mugabe has applied for a license to run Arnold Farm also known as Manzou Farm as an animal sanctuary.
Dinha this week had claimed that the first family was not involved in seizing the farm from villagers, who settled on it in 2000. Police moved in last week to evict the villagers despite a court order to halt the evictions without offering the villagers altenative land.
Dinha tells Studio 7’s Blessing Zulu that by next week national parks will release lions and elephants onto the farm. More to follow… – VOA

 
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa has failed to prove his capability of ruling the country by failing ‘to bring about a country that conforms to its rule of law’; lawyers from a leading rights watch dog have complained.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights gave the vote of “no confidence” to Mnangagwa on Wednesday in Harare when it was raising concern to reporters on the eviction of more than 200 families at Mazowe’s Manzou Farm by government last week.
Last week the police stormed on the farm, destroying houses while attempting to evict around 200 families from the property, which is near First Lady Grace Mugabe’s dairy and orphanage in the central Mazowe district.
Dzimbabwe Chimbga the organization’s Programmes Manager said had Mnangagwa stood by and upheld the new constitution as Head of State, these evictions would have been stopped.
Mnangagwa is the acting President since December after President Robert Mugabe embarked on his annual leave which ends this month.
“We have got government actors who are busy focused on evicting people; Government actors who are focused on acquiring huge tracts of land instead of implementing the new constitution so to us that is a problem,” said  Chimbga ,“The acting President has not done anything to bring about a country that conforms to its rule of law. His term might be ending as the President is coming back. All we can say is that he has not given us confidence that he is up to the task as President of this country.”
Commenting on recent reports that government had started moving wild animals in to the farm so that it becomes a national park, Chimbga warned that they will continue fighting for the rights of the affecting citizens.
“It is a national problem which requires a solution from all people and in a fair world political actors who are the government, would protect people against arbitrary evictions but as you know the opposite is happening,” he said.

MDC-T activists who were brutalised in Budiriro Sunday afternoon have had salt added to their wounds after the ZANU PF controlled police manufactured a story against them that they attacked ZANU PF and with blood gushing from their wounds, their own Spokesman Obert Gutu, now stands accused of turning a blind eye to their plight on the day of the attack.
Mr Gutu ignored submissions from witnesses of the attack and when presented with information on the very day, he to date has not acted to sufficiently support the tortured activists four of whom are awaiting trial on trumped up chargers, despite the seriousness of their plight.

One of the brutalised activists is Johana (pictured) who was attacked on Sunday. Jail awaits her as soon as she can be taken to court. But the Zanu PF victims the state media has claimed that MDC youths beat are nowhere to be seen.
Six of the victims instead of the attakers were arrested on the very day. The attack saw a man bludgeoned with a metal object in full view of the Budiriro MP Costa Machingauta.
The rest, four MDC-T supporters yesterday appeared in court on allegations of assaulting Zanu-PF supporters in Harare on Sunday. Amos Mudondo (32), Doesntmatter Mawana (32) and Trust Muchena (32) appeared before Mbare magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma facing assault charges, while their accomplice Malvin Tinarwo (32) appeared in court on Monday. Mudondo, Mawana and Muchena were represented by Mr Obey Shava and lodged complaints against the police.
“My clients were beaten up by Zanu-PF youths, abducted and (bundled) into a Nissan Sunny vehicle before being taken to Budiriro 2 Police Station,” said Mr Shava.
“The youths ordered the police to open a docket against the accused and they complied despite suffering from fresh bleeding wounds.
“The accused complain that they were denied equal rights to protection enshrined in the Constitution and access to treatment.”
Prosecutor Mr Fanuel Madanire has since opposed bail. Ms Tshuma will make a ruling on the bail application today.
The State claims that on Sunday, the four MDC-T supporters – who were clad in their party regalia – approached the complainant who was leaving the Zanu-PF offices located at an open space near the shopping centre.
The report claims they started accusing the complainant and his fellow Zanu-PF supporters of setting up their offices in the wrong place. An argument ensued and Muchena allegedly struck the complainant with an axe on his left hand thumb, causing a deep cut.
It continues, “the gang later approached another complainant who was coming from the same shopping centre. They ordered her to chant an MDC-T slogan but she refused which did not go down well with the group who started assaulting her.
“The MDC-T supporters allegedly punched her on the shoulders until she fell and stamped her on the chest, causing injuries.”
But on Sunday ZimEye.com readers who witnessed the attack in full view reveal the MDC-T activists were attacked by ZANU PF activists in full view of the public and all this was during a meeting with the Budiriro MP. A ZimEye correspondent shortly after the attack supplied this information to Mr Obert Gutu seeking corroboration, who only responded via text message saying, “which publication do you report?” and since Sunday evening to date, no effort has been seen from his desk to gather the witness evidence which vital for the courts to rule on the bail application.

The mystery man who caused a scene when he fled as claimed “a lightning strike” sparked by two Gokwe witches in full view of the public last week, has resurfaced from hiding.
Salimo Kwangware secretly crept out of the thick bushes of Gokwe South, travelled via an unknown private car and safely landed in Bulawayo on Monday, after being chased by the witches who are to date still baying for his blood.

ZimEye.com caught up with the Tsikamutanda on Tuesday morning who narrated his dramatic escape.
The traditional healer who was last year hired by villagers to help them sniff out witches from the troubled village of Dzvoritsvo which is about seven kilometres from the newly conferred Gokwe town, resurfaced in Ntabazintuna about 35 km east of Zimbabwe’s second largest capital before heading to Bulawayo.
Kwangware had successfully exposed the witches, who were now brought before a gathering during the final exorcising process. The witches allegedly sensing danger from the traditional man, began arguing and swearing at each other and in the heat of the argument, witnesses say flashes of bright lightning went forth from the palm of their hands towards the Tsikamutanda causing the man who was the villagers’ ‘only hope’ to flee for his life with the crowd equally shocked dispersing in almost-instant terror.
“These two have been in my radar and I was keeping a spiritual eye on them that they were after my head. I kept telling the village head to be careful when dealing with the two as they own powerful lightning bolts, thousands of hyenas and owls,” said Kwangware.
He also told ZimEye.com that the two are involved in the infamous 26 panties saga three years before and the owl that grabbed a matured male dog during a village indaba in headman Pauro’s area, under Chief Njelele in 2012.
According to Danmore Kunguva, who was standing in for the village head at the ceremony, trouble started when the two accused witches, were pointing fingers at each other, for having caused the death of three people, whose spirits were said to be seen roaming at night several months after their burials.
“We started having strange situations here, of seeing people we buried long time ago, and sometimes running away from them when they try to talk to us. That is when we asked for the help from the Tsikamutanda,” said Kunguva
The two old men who had agreed to surrender their tools of evil trade, started quarrelling before the official ceremony started, and their dispute spilled into the exorcizing time, thereby causing the exchange of lightning bolts in a bid to expose their strength to one another.
According to village head Kunguva, the spark from the two lightning bolts that collided in front of the gathering villagers left everyone speechless, and scampering for cover, causing the Tsikamutanda to run for dear life.
“The spark from the bumping lightning bolts scared away the traditional healer, who fled from the scene, and never returned. We are now in a very difficult situation that needs to be solved without delay. We are now waiting for another consultation process with Chief Njelele so that we can chart the way forward on the fate of the two warring families, and their future in our village, since villagers are now unsettled,” said Kunguva.
After the resurfacing of Kwangware in the outskirts of Bulawayo, ZimEye.com caught up with the village head Kunguva, who said he is still to meet Chief Njelele for dialogue on the matter.
“I am still to meet the Chief to discuss the way forward, because if a traditional healer is afraid, then that means we have to find other methods,” he said.
Efforts to get a comment from Chief Njelele hit a brick wall as his cellphone was not reachable at the time of going to press.

A petrol tanker owned by the South African Wardens company burst into flames while on its way to Bulawayo.
The shocking incident was captured on camera by Mr Vukani Mguni driving in a passing vehicle at 3.15pm yesterday 5km from Mbalabala.
The burning could have been worse but the horse was fortunately disengaged hence escaping incineration.

It was not clear if the fire service eventually managed to attend to the accident.
Wardens is a South African bulk fuel transporter who supply fuel to several fuel companies in the region.
The cause of the accident could not be ascertained at the time of writing.
 

The Zanu-PF faction backing ousted party Vice President Joice Mujuru says it has engaged lawyers to explore ways to challenge the party’s December congress which they allege was illegal.
Some political analysts predict the party is now headed for a split.
Former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa released a statement Monday saying the congress was null and void.
Mutasa, who was referring to himself as the party secretary for administration though he was replaced by Ignatius Chombo, claims to be representing the majority of Zanu-PF supporters irked by the lack of internal democracy in the party.
Attempts to reach party spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo were futile. Studio 7’s Blessing Zulu spoke with expelled former Zanu-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo.
Political analyst, Alex Magaisa, of Kent University in London says it will be interesting to watch the Zanu-PF race in the by-elections. -VOA

The cash strapped government has shifted this month’s pay date for the uniformed forces from today to Friday.
 
Recently, nurses and doctors threatened to strike over their unpaid bonuses and finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa, was quick to reassure them that government would honour its obligation.
According to Chinamasa, medical staff will receive their bonuses tomorrow while the rest of the civil service that has not received their thirteenth cheque for 2014 will be paid on January 23 and grant aided institutions on February 6.
Chinamasa said the staggering of the payments was due to serious financial challenges that the government was facing.
Soldiers who spoke to The Zimbabwean on condition of anonymity said they failed to access their salaries today after which they were told at their various work stations that they would get their salaries on Friday.
No reason was given for the shift in their pay date.
“We were supposed to get our salaries today while others were supposed to be paid tomorrow but we have been told to wait until Friday,” said one of the sources from the military.
Another soldier based at One Commando in Harare said: “We were told by our superiors that we would get our salaries on Friday but no reason was given to us for the delay. So we will just wait to see what transpires”.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Prisca Mupfmira’s number was not reachable while Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, said he was in a meeting when contacted for comment.
He did not reply to a text message sent to him over the issue.
The development comes amid threats of a strike by civil servants over poor working conditions and the government’s reluctance to improve them.- The Zimbabwean

Buhera legislator Joseph Chinotimba conducted a one man demonstration across the Harare CBD on Tuesday morning furiously charging at his former employers, Harare City Council.
Chinoz who recently received a Human Rights award, marched across the streets on his own shouting onto trees and brickwalls that his former bosses must address the worrying pothole crisis among several failures.
Chinoz is a former City Council Security guard.
After ZimEye.com readers alerted reporters on the development Chinoz confirmed to ZimEye.com, “It was a one man band, demonstration against the council, against the police protesting the road situation, and chaos at the market and kombi areas”.AUDIO-click here  : 
When Mr Chinotimba was however pressed on the ZINARA scandal, the latter parastatal led by a Robert Mugabe relative, Albert, who is responsible for the country’s roads and whose managers have mismanaged at least $40million, if he will soon carry out a similar protest, Chinotimba replied indicating he was not concerned since even former British Prime Minister Tony Blair  has allegedly “done the same  – that is,appointed friends and cronies to government positions,” according to Chinotimba.  AUDIO-click here  : 

Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been slapped with a grand lawsuit over disturbing child marriages where girls as young as 13years old have been forced into matrimonial unions. The challenge to Child Marriage will be heard in the Constitutional Court on Wednesday 14th January and in the firing line is top barrister Tendai Biti who drags Mnangagwa for allowing child marriages to continue despite a new constitutional ban.

Below was an update by legal advocacy group Veritas:

The first Constitutional Court sitting of 2015 will be on Wednesday 14th January.  The third case on the court roll is a constitutional challenge to child marriage taken by Mr Tendai Biti on behalf of the applicants:

Loveness Mudzuru and Ruvimbo Tsopodzi

versus

The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs,

the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development and the Attorney-General

The court sitting will start at 9.30 am.  The sitting will be open to members of the public and all those interested are encouraged to attend.

Note: This case is the third one on the court roll, so it is not possible to predict what time it will start.  The two earlier cases may be postponed or dismissed or heard in full.

This case will be of particular interest to everyone interested in the constitutional rights of women and children, especially the rights of the girl child, and the constitutional principle of equal protection and benefit of the law without unfair discrimination on the ground of sex or gender.

It concerns child marriage – the marriage of girls or boys under the age of 18 – in Zimbabwe. The applicants argue that new provisions in the Constitution have made 18 the marriageable age for both girls and boys – and that existing laws such as the Marriage Act and the Customary Marriages Act are now unconstitutional to the extent that they do not provide for proper protections against child marriage and its associated abuses which the country is obliged to provide by under the Constitution and its international commitments.

The applicants’ objective, therefore, is to persuade the Constitutional Court to issue an order declaring:

·        that under the Constitution no-one in Zimbabwe, whether girl or boy, may enter into a marriage, including an unregistered customary law union, before attaining the age of 18 years;

·        that section 18 of the Marriage Act, which allows marriage before 18, is unconstitutional;

·        that the Customary Marriages Act is unconstitutional to the extent that it does not provide for a minimum age of 18 years for marriage.

Note: In many countries where 18 is the minimum age of marriage, there are provisions for special circumstances, but these are strictly limited – the minors should be over the age of 16 and the approval of a judge of the High Court should be obtained, given after the judge is satisfied from reports of social welfare officers that marriage would be in the best interests of the parties and that the minor has freely and unreservedly consented.

Constitution Watch 1/2015 of 8th January gave a more detailed explanation of the constitutional provisions that will be raised in this case and the shortcomings of the existing laws governing marriage.

Spirit Embassy leader Prophet Uebert Angel has refused to hand a top-of-the-range Bentley Continental worth US$300 000  to Harare businessman Mr Ndabazinengi Shava who says he was conned into donating to the preacher after being promised he would receive a threefold return by year end in 2012.
Shava humiliated the preacher in December when he publicised his story while suing the preacher.
Angel says the claim by the businessman is frivolous and has since petitioned the High Court to dismiss it.
In an application filed by his lawyer Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners at the High Court, Prophet Angel wants the court to throw out Mr Shava’s claim on the grounds that he was never the owner of the Bentley.
“The Respondent (Mr Shava) was never the owner of the motor vehicle.
“The motor vehicle was owned by one Anderson Tagara, whose name appears on the registration book . . .,” said Prophet Angel.
“Further, the motor vehicle was purchased from Anderson Tagara by Benjamin Mudzanire — the Applicant’s (Prophet Angel) brother and there is an agreement of sale to that effect . . .,” he added. An agreement of sale attached to the application confirms the transaction.
In an affidavit supporting the transaction, Mr Tagara said that he was the first purchaser and importer of the vehicle and confirms selling it to Mr Mudzanire.
He said he was later informed that the same vehicle was later sold to Mr Phibeon Busangabanye in May last year.
Prophet Angel said in the court papers that Mr Shava has no title to the vehicle and therefore cannot claim its return to him.
“Resultantly, the Respondent (Mr Shava) cannot sue for the return of a motor vehicle that he never owned and which was purchased in accordance with the law.
“The Respondent never enjoyed any rights of ownership wherein he can assert the remedy of rei vindication which he is trying to assert.
“His claim cannot and must not succeed,” he said.
He wants the High Court to throw out Mr Shava’s claim.
In case number HC 10941/14 filed last year, the businessman alleged that Prophet Angel duped him into surrendering the vehicle to him on the understanding that he would reap threefold.
Mr Shava says that nothing has happened despite him surrendering the vehicle to Prophet Angel.
He feels cheated and is now demanding his vehicle back, more than a year after the transaction.
Through his lawyers Chinyama and Partners, Mr Shava filed summons at the High Court seeking the immediate release of the black Bentley, registration number ACO1759.
He also sought an order declaring him the legitimate owner of the vehicle. – Herald

It is now fast proving difficult to park anywhere in Southlean Park, Harare South as robbers pounced on several cars and kombis on Monday morning destroying windscreens and stealing valuables therein. When reporters visited the area, they found residents and businesspeople complaining about the security horror which has seen several cars and kombis smashed into. At the time of going to print a police comment was not forthcoming while a local security company overseeing the area’s Chief Administrator, a certain Mr Manyuchi declined commenting saying he would call back but by the end of day yesterday, he had not done so. PICTURES:

Zanu PF hardliners are said to be taking fresh aim at embattled police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri, in a desperate bid to force President Robert Mugabe to relieve him of his post when the 90-year-old returns from his holiday in the Far East, for his alleged allegiance to former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
Speculation around Chihuri’s position, and that of other service chiefs such as intelligence boss Happyton Bonyongwe and prisons head Paradzai Zimondi, first hit the headlines during the turbulent build-up to Zanu PF’s damp squib “elective” congress in Harare late last year.
But while the heat appears to have cooled down somewhat around the other service chiefs, including Air Force commander Parrence Shiri, a dark cloud seemingly continues to hover around the beleaguered Chihuri — as fresh turbulence, emanating from fear and suspicion, threatens to wreak further havoc within Mugabe’s divided ruling party.
Zanu PF sources told the Daily News yesterday that the amiable police chief was “definitely a marked man”, with Mugabe’s wife Grace and party hardliners apparently continuing to suspect that he still had a close relationship with Mujuru — “hence the charges of alleged slow police investigations into Amai Mujuru’s cases”.
“That Chihuri, who has a complicated history in Zanu PF, is under pressure is not a secret, which is unfortunate as he is actually a nice, God-fearing and competent man who concentrates on his job rather than petty party squabbles.
“His sole crime is that party hardliners perceive him and other service chiefs to be very close to Amai Mujuru and thus want him sacked, as he holds a very important position in the running of the country.
“The suggestion is thus that when president Mugabe next re-organises his Cabinet on his return from his holiday, Chihuri and others (service chiefs) will also be cut loose,” the source said.
Another government official claimed that the mooted Cabinet reshuffle would also see many senior civil servants such as permanent secretaries either losing their jobs altogether or being assigned to “lesser important and influential” areas.
Another source said it was not by chance that Chihuri’s name had “once again started popping out for the wrong reasons” in State media, and ahead of Mugabe’s expected return from his holiday.
This was after government newspapers bemoaned the fact that there had been “no breakthrough in investigations” regarding Mujuru’s alleged plots to oust and assassinate Mugabe, as well as the highly suspicious “break-ins” that had recently been reported at the offices of top government officials.
This led newspapers yesterday to speculate that this raised “fears that something tragic could happen before the police makes (sic) any arrests”. It was also, allegedly, causing senior government officials to live “in fear as this apparent lack of progress in the cases has left them exposed”.
“Make no mistake about it, the issue is not about the police per se, it is about Chihuri,” the source said, adding that, “they are building the case for his removal as was the case with Mujuru and her allies”.
Last year, Chihuri was forced to publicly deny that he belonged to the Mujuru faction.
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba issued a damning statement after allegations levelled against the force by a reported politburo member who was quoted in a local weekly alleging the police was aligned to the Mujuru faction and that the law enforcement agency assisted in the rigging of the 2013 Zanu PF primary elections. The purported politburo member claimed Chihuri and Mujuru were “home-boy and home-girl.”
Charamba said “these frivolous and despicable allegations are nothing but hallucinations.”
“First and foremost, the ZRP’s association with the vice president is from the government point of view and not from a regional position,” Charamba clarified.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police does not elect or influence the appointment of anyone to leadership position in Zanu PF.”
Charamba added that “allegations that ZRP supports Mai Mujuru are mind boggling.”
“The ZRP would like to know supporting her against who, since she is the vice president of the country?”
She said Chihuri was “a Zimbabwean who comes from the same province, not village, with the vice president and he happens to be a national leader who is Zimbabwean.”
She said ZRP was not involved in any Zanu PF factionalism, “neither do they want to be dragged into some mudslinging by the alleged misguided Politburo member.”
Charamba said the ZRP “will not be intimidated from performing their role by unscrupulous and divisive elements who are hopelessly trying to drag the ZRP into their political fights.”
“Let it be known that the Zimbabwe Republic Police remains resolute against all adversaries and will not hesitate to apply the law when the need arises,” she warned.
Previous speculative reports have suggested that Chihuri, who has led the police force for about 20 years at the helm, is to be replaced by Trust Mugova, currently a major general with the Zimbabwe National Army.
It appears not to have served Chihuri’s case that he collapsed at a police pass-out parade last year, with his Zanu PF enemies now apparently also using this unfortunate incident to claim that he was no longer fit enough to lead the force.
Efforts by the Daily News to contact Chihuri yesterday did not yield results.
But the police chief quashed raging rumours late last year that he had resigned from his post, by continuing to execute his job beyond the end of 2014, when it had been said he would leave his post.
Social media was awash with stories at the time that Chihuri had left his post under pressure from Zanu PF hawks who were similarly accusing him of belonging to a party faction allegedly aligned to Mujuru.
Prominent academic and former adviser to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Alex Magaisa, said recently that Zanu PF’s brutal purges of the past few months were a harbinger of worse brutal infighting still to be witnessed in the divided party.
In an opinion piece, Magaisa, who is a law lecturer at Kent University in the UK, also said the party’s ugly factional and succession wars were engineered to benefit Mugabe who feared that his close lieutenants wanted to get rid of him.
“After all, he is nearly 91 and the country he leads is in dire straits. He has used divide and rule tactics over the years, letting the factions fight each other, hate each other and plot against each other — itself a good insurance policy for himself as his rivals focus on each other,” he said.
Magaisa also noted that expelled former Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo had in 1978, along with some of his comrades, been incarcerated by the party in dungeons after facing accusations of rebelling against Mugabe.
“This is the infamous incident that is known as the Vashandi Rebellion. Among his comrades who shared his fate were Dzinashe Machingura, Henry Hamadziripi, Happison Muchechetere, Augustine Chihuri, and Sobuza Gula-Ndebele,” he wrote then. – DailyNews

The Movement for Democratic Change formation led by Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC- Renweal Team have announced that they will boycott by-elections in two constituencies left vacant by former Vice President Joice Mujuru and current Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
President Robert Mugabe proclaimed in a notice published in an extraordinary government gazette that eligible voters in Mount Darwin West and Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituencies would go to the polls to elect new national assembly representatives on March 27th .
The by-election for the Mount Darwin West constituency was long overdue and comes in the wake of allegations by legal experts that Mr. Mugabe had violated the Zimbabwean constitution by failing to order a by-election within 90 days of Mujuru’s appointment more than 18 months ago.
The president proclaimed that: “I do by this proclamation order new elections for the constituencies of Mount Darwin West and Chirumanzu-Zibagwe, fix Friday 27th, March 2015 as the day in which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46 (17) (c) of the Electoral Act.”
MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu said his party will not participate in elections whose outcome is pre-determined. – VOA

A horror accident with a donkey in Botswana yesterday caused the death of 11 Zimbabweans, while seven others escaped with severe injuries after their South Africa-bound minibus hit a donkey and then rammed a tree.
Botswana police’s Assistant Commissioner Christopher Mbulawa, who is the Public Relations Officer said the accident occurred along the Palapye-Martins Drift Road. He said 11 Zimbabweans — five men, five women and a child — were killed in the horror crash.
Of the survivors, two were reported to be in a critical condition.
Investigators say only the driver, who is among the dead, had a passport — suggesting all his 17 passengers were illegal immigrants.
Ass Comm Mbulawa said the injured were admitted at Palapye Primary Hospital. He, however, could not release the names of the dead as their next of kin were yet to be informed.
Botswana’s highways — although well-maintained — are notorious for livestock encroachment, usually donkeys.
Sources yesterday told the state media that the minibus had come from Tsholotsho, and the driver was an umalayitsha, who had been engaged to transport the illegals into South Africa following the end of the festive season.
Omalayitsha are illegal facilitators of border jumpers.
Many Zimbabweans returning to South Africa after the holiday period often use the longer but quicker route through Botswana to avoid queues at Beitbridge. Those without passports pay huge sums to enter neighbouring countries illegally. Omalayitshas pay off immigration officers and the police for safe passage.
Omalayitsha also double as ‘road nannies’ as parents working in neighbouring countries approach them to help facilitate the smuggling of their children.
Some guardians and parents resort to this strategy even though their children have passports in order to avoid the cumbersome process of acquiring an affidavit for minors as required by law.
Over the years, omalayitsha have recorded brisk business ferrying money, goods and people. Departing from Bulawayo, they are paid between R1 500 and R4 000 per person during peak periods. Documented Zimbabweans pay R400 for the same trip, on the other hand.
Although widely used, this illegal service has often proved risky, with the threat of imprisonment if intercepted. – Chronicle

VOA|A Harare High Court judge on Monday ordered the state to stop evicting Mazowe villagers being removed from their homes by police at the alleged instigation of First Lady Grace Mugabe.
High Court judge Erica Ndewere ordered the halting of evictions of villagers, who were resettled at Arnold Farm Number 10, also known as Manzou Farm.
Judge Ndewere ruled that the affected villagers should not be removed from their properties if no alternative places of residence have been availed by the state. Although state attorney Tymon Tabana argued that the state had offered alternative pieces of land, the court was not satisfied with that court submission, according to lawyers representing the villagers.
The villagers claim that the police were evicting them to pave way for the first lady, who reportedly wants to convert the farm into a game sanctuary and conduct other projects. Government officials have disputed this saying the farm is earmarked by the state for a game park.
One of the lawyers representing the affected villagers, Tonderai Bhatasara, welcomed the ruling, adding that he expects the government to abide by the court ruling.
Those cited in the urgent High Court chamber application are police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri, Lands Minister Douglas Mombeshora and Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi.
One of the affected people, Daaisi Musekiwa told Studio 7 that although he welcomes the interim relief, the situation at Manzou remained dire.
When the evictions started, some villagers at Manzou Farm alleged that Mrs. Mugabe wanted to take over the property to set up a wildlife sanctuary but Mashonaland Central provincial affairs minister Martin Dinha denied that the First Lady was involved.
Minister Dinha told the state-controlled Herald newspaper that villagers were settled on a farm that was set aside by the government as a heritage site.

A man was found dead near a bus stop in Cowdray Park suburb of Bulawayo with a deep cut on his forehead following a wild binge. Mike Mahova, 32 was found by passersby on January 2 at around 7AM and was identified by a close friend.
Keith Moyo, who had seen him hours earlier, said that he suspected that Mahova was killed by robbers.
“I last saw Mike on New Year’s Day during a beer drinking spree and he was dead drunk. I was shocked the next morning when my neighbours told me a man was found dead near the bus stop and when I got to the scene, I realised it was Mike,”  Moyo said.
He said his friend had a deep cut on the forehead, suggesting that he was assaulted before his death.
“Mike also had bruises on his elbows and no-one seems to know what really happened on that fateful day. He told me he had been contracted by NetOne for a certain job a week before the New Year and was due to receive his wages. I presume that he could have been killed for the money that he had,” said Moyo.
Mahova was buried at West Park cemetery.
Bulawayo provincial Police spokesperson Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo said he was yet to get details of Mahova’s death. -Chronicle

A 36 year old Zimbabwean woman from Chiredzi, Senekheliso Bhebhe, died in Angola on the 8th January and her body is now in a worrying state of near-decomposition.
Senekheliso died last week Thursday on the 8 January while doing cross border trading on the outskirts of Menongue, Angola. The cause of her death is believed to be malaria but efforts to obtain verification were fruitless at the time of writing.

The family are currently trying to fly her body from Angola which requires $6,000 before other costs. “At the moment 1,600 has been raised”, family spokesperson, Lillian Chinogwenya told ZimEye.com.
Her body reached a state of near-decomposition after it was denied access into mortuaries due to lack of funds. Relatives however at the weekend managed to raise close to $1,000 and it was transferred to a nearby morgue.
A family announcement read in full: “A dark cloud has fallen over our community once again with the passing of a daughter, sister and friend Senekheliso Bhebhe, some of us we grow up with her in Chiredzi Hippo valley estate she passed away on the 8/1/15 in Angola following a short illness. I have been in close contact with the family and despite the Shock which came with the tragedy, it has been very difficult for the family to raise funds for the repatriation of our beloved. It is very heart breaking to realise that with the situation at present, it may end up being too late to preserve the remains, and for this reason, we are appealing for funds to support the Bhebhe family as a matter of urgency. For those here in the uk who have been touched by this tragedy and are willing to help, please do inbox me for more datails.
“I will also refer you to LovenessRudo BhebheKanakembizi contacts 0027724703638 or you can contact Lillian Chinogwenya 00447972339774 in the UK Galatians 6 vs 2, Bear one another’s burdens, and fulfil the law of Christ.”
Those who wish to donate can send money via (World Remit Ecocash) to number: 00263773965336

Following our earlier update Sunday on Budiriro violence, it has emerged that of the numerous MDC-T activists attacked by ZANU PF, six of the victims instead of the attakers were arrested yesterday.
The attack saw a man bludgeoned with a metal object in full view of the Budiriro MP (READ MORE– Violence in Budiriro Again, 3 MDC-T Activists BeatenUp).
READ MORE
Three MDC members were hospitalized while six others were arrested after they were attacked by a Zanu PF mob during an MDC youth mobilization and recruitment exercise in Budiriro on Sunday.
It was in fact the victims who were arrested as the police once again showed their bias in the wake of the resurgence of Zanu PF violence.
MDC Youth had recruited over 100 youth in Budiriro who signed up to be a part of the party before Zanu PF thugs attacked the youth leaders with sticks, stones and iron bars.
The rowdy Zanu PF youth, led by their Harare province chairman Godfrey Gomwe attacked our youth for merely wearing the party regalia and carrying out visibility programmes in Budiriro. They ordered MDC youths to remove their T-shirts.
Johanna Mamombe, Harare West district youth secretary, Benard Ncube, Harare West district Chair and Tangai Magawa Hatfield district youth chair were brutally attacked and had to be hospitalized while Trust Muchena, the Glen Norah youth organising Secretary was kidnapped by Zanu PF youth before they surrendered him at Budiriro 2 police station, together with five other party members.
MDC youth provincial chairperson, Stan Manyenga attracted the ire of the police for rescuing Johanna and Bernard before taking them to a local hospital. Police officers from the Law and Order section went to his home this afternoon looking for him.
The MDC is concerned that violence continues to rear its ugly head in our society where focus should be on reviving the economy and creating jobs for the youth. We call upon the police to execute its mandate without fear or favour.
Zanu PF has not changed and violence continues to be part of their DNA. We urge the police to arrest the real perpetrators of violence and to release our innocent members immediately.

A top business executive and the Director of Raylite Batteries who is also the former Zimbabwe Rugby Team Coach, Losson Mtongwiza in a wrangle with his ex-wife, has offered to pay $20 maintenance for each of his kids.
Mtongwiza appeared at the Harare Civil Court in maintenance scuffle with his ex-wife Lizzie Nyamweda, last week, where he offered to sustain his each of his two children aged 11 and 16 with a monthly gest of $20.
His marriage collapsed eight years ago following which he was ordered to pay $150 per month for each child. He then applied for for a downward variation and offered to pay $20 per child instead.
But the court granted him the relief sought and reduced the amount to $100 per month.
Mtongwiza was last year convicted by a Harare Magistrate over maintenance arrears amounting to $5 100 after defaulting for years.
For the crime, he was sentenced to 12 months in prison which was wholly suspended on condition that he paid the arrears on or before end of November last year.
In his founding affidavit, the businessman and sports personality cited that the original maintenance ruling was granted on the grounds that the children were spending more time at home.
“The time they (children) used to spend at home was now being spent at boarding school at my expense. This requires therefore that the order be seriously revised downwards otherwise the money is no longer benefitting the children,” Mtongwiza said in his affidavit.
He also said Nyamweda was a woman of means hence he was under no obligation to foot her transport expenses to visit the children.
He further argued that he had re-married and his current wife was earning very little making him literally the main breadwinner.
In her response, Nyamweda dismissed Mtongwiza’s claims arguing his (Mtongwiza)’s access to the children was inconsistent hence they spent most of their time in her custody not in boarding school.
Last November, Mtongwiza also had a separate legal battle with his ex-wife’s husband Oupa Teke who had applied for a peace order against him. The peace order application was, however, dismissed by the court.

ZANU-PF big wigs in Matabeleland North province snubbed a party organised by the party’s youth league to celebrate the appointment of provincial members into the Politburo at the weekend.The party, which was held at the Freedom Square in Binga Centre, was only attended by one Politburo member, Obert Mpofu, who was the guest of honour.
Mpofu is Zanu-PF’s secretary for finance in the Politburo.
Other Politburo members including Ambassador Cain Mathema, s Sithembiso Nyoni, Thokozile Mathuthu and Professor Jonathan Moyo did not attend the event.
One of the organisers of the event who spoke on condition of anonymity said invitations were extended to Mpofu, Ambassador Mathema, Prof Moyo, Nyoni and Mathuthu among other party leaders.
“Invitations were extended to all the Politburo members in the province but only the guest of honour Mpofu attended. We were surprised at the absence of the other Politburo members. The party was a resounding success nonetheless,” said the source.
While it is understandable that Prof Moyo could not attend the party since he is said to be out of the country, the same could not be said of Ambassador Mathema, Nyoni and Mathuthu.
Their failure to attend the party was read in certain circles as a sign of solidarity with Nyoni whom party youths had barred from the event.
Nyoni has of late hogged the limelight after she accused Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial leadership of being shallow after its failed bid to have her removed from the Central Committee in the run up to the party’s 6th National People’s Congress last month.
The Matabeleland North provincial executive had attempted to block Nyoni’s nomination to the Central Committee along with that of s Jacob Mudenda, Fati Mpofu and Elias Mavule.
The youth leadership barred Nyoni from attending the celebrations party insisting that she she should apologise to the provincial leadership first for labelling them “shallow”.
Asked to comment on the latest developments, Nyoni said: “I told you that I’m not commenting on that issue anymore.”
Mathuthu could not be drawn to explain why she did not attend saying that it was not this publication’s business what events she is invited to and which ones she decides to attend.
“Why should it be your concern whether or not I was invited to the party? In fact, it’s not your newspapers’ business to be worried about where I’m invited. Why is it of interest whether I’m invited to a wedding or a party or any other event and whether or not I choose to attend the event? It’s my personal business.
“Ask the organisers of the event for their invitation list and see if I was invited,” she said before hanging up the phone.
Another big-wig who was in no-show is Ambassador Mathema.
Mathema who heads the department of Land Reform and Resettlement in the party said he did not want to be used to fan divisions in the province by commenting on everything. “I didn’t attend the party and I’ll not explain to you why I didn’t attend. I don’t want to fight and I don’t want to be involved in any fight whatsoever in the province,” he said.
Zanu-PF provincial youth chairperson, Tamuka Nyoni, one of the organisers of the party, who also failed to attend the event said it went on well even in his absence.
Nyoni said he had been informed that ordinary party members had attended the event in their numbers. “I didn’t attend because I had other commitments,” he said.
President Mugabe last month appointed five members from Matabeleland North province into the Politburo.
Mpofu was elevated to the post of Secretary for Finance while Ambassador Mathema was appointed to head the Land Reform and Resettlement department, Mathuthu secretary for Gender, Nyoni secretary for business liaison while Prof Moyo was appointed Secretary for Science and Technology.-Chronicle

President Mugabe has proclaimed March 27 as the date for by-elections in Mount Darwin West and Chirumanzu-Zibagwe parliamentary constituencies. The two seats fell vacant following the elevation of Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa (Chirumanzu -Zibagwe) to the post of Vice President on December 10 last year and Cde Joice Mujuru (Mt Darwin West) when she assumed the same Government post on September 11, 2013.
Cde Mujuru has since been fired for behaviour inconsistent with her official responsibilities in the discharge of her duties, including plotting to kill the President.
President Mugabe announced the new date in an extraordinary Government Gazette published on Saturday, saying the nomination courts would sit on January 29 to receive nomination papers of interested candidates for the two constituencies.
The President said in terms of section 46 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13) the nomination courts would sit at the Magistrates Court, Main Street, Bindura and the Magistrates Courts Main Street, Gweru.
“Whereas as it is provided by section 39 (2) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13), that after the President has been notified in terms of the said section of a vacancy among the constituency members of the National Assembly, he shall issue a proclamation ordering a new election to fill the vacancy in the same manner, mutatis mutandis, as is provided in section 38 of the Act in regard to a general election;
“And whereas it is provided by section 129 (1) (c) of the Constitution that the seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant upon the member becoming President or Vice President;
“And whereas the speaker of the National Assembly has notified me in writing of vacancies in the National Assembly due to the successive appointments to the office of Vice President of Joice Mujuru, who was the elected member of the National Assembly for Mount Darwin West constituency and Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa who was the elected Member of the National Assembly for the Chirumanzu – Zibagwe constituency;
“Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as afore said, I do by this proclamation: order new elections for the constituencies of Mount Darwin West and Chirumanzu – Zibagwe, fix Friday 27th March 2015 as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll become necessary in terms of section 46 (17) (c) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2: 13) for the election of Members of the National Assembly for the constituencies of Mount Darwin West and Chirumanzu-Zibagwe.”
Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act of 2013 that deals with the tenure of seat of a Member of Parliament stipulates that, “the seat of a Member of Parliament shall become vacant upon the Member becoming President or Vice President.’’
Cde Mujuru was, thus, going to Parliament as Vice President, not as Member of Parliament.
Cde Mnangagwa’s National Assembly seat automatically became vacant by operation of the law when he assumed the Office of Vice President of Zimbabwe last month.
The pair does not qualify for the by-elections because in terms of Section 103 of the Constitution, they cannot be legislators let alone hold any other form of employment.
Reads the section: “The President and Vice President, and any former President or Vice-President , must not, directly or indirectly, hold any other public office or be employed by anyone else while they are in office or are receiving a pension from the State as former President or Vice-President, as the case may be.’’
At law, Vice Presidents are not Members of Parliament, although they can sit there for debate, be leader of the House, conduct business there, but they do not vote.
While there has been speculation in some quarters as to what would become of VP Phelekezela Mphoko within 90 days if he did not find a seat, the same constitutional provision that strips VPs of their membership of the legislature means VP Mphoko does not need a seat to sit in the August House or retain his post as Vice President of Zimbabwe.
Cde Mphoko was last month appointed as the second Vice President. -Herald

In a bizarre case set to shock the local Christian community, a top Vapositori preacher based in Budiriro , Madzibaba Enock of Johane Masowe YeChishanu has emotionally sought a Police Order to arrest and as claimed, “expose” Harare preachers Walter Magaya, Emmanuel Makandiwa and Uebert Angel’s powers, he says are allegedly “fraudulent”.
Madzibaba Enock who has approached local police officers, says he can reveal to the law enforcement agents the true source of the prophets’ so called “powers”.
The self styled “prophets”, Madzibaba Enock said, will be visited by a police escort under his guide to expose them as fraudsters.
He said he “knows the source of for instance Magaya’s powers hence he knows how to deal with them,” adding that he will “do what he knows to expose the powers.”
He then declared war “on Magaya, Makandiwa and Angel” labelling them “agents of Lucifer who are only there to take money from poor congregants.”
He said he wants to go head on with Magaya and expose his source of powers and announced he has ordered his Vadare Team to promptly get a Police order.
Madzibaba Enock said “the time is now for Zimbabwe to know the truth about these so called men of God”.
“Kutaura kwevanhu ndekwevanhu kwaMwari ndekwaMwari isu venyama hatizvigone,” he said.
While it was not clear if the police will entertain the police order request, legal analysts said the move will not see the light of day as there is under the circumstances no legal basis Madzibaba Enock can rely upon to arrest the prophets.

ZimEye.com is receiving information from Budiriro that violence broke out on Sunday afternoon when ZANU PF activists rose to attack three MDC-T members.
This was during a meeting by the Budiriro MP and one activist known as “Archway,” was brutally assaulted with a metal object while the MP, who is the MDC-T MP Costa Machingauta was watching.
Machingauta is the MDC-T deputy youth chairperson.
Efforts to get a comment from the MDC-T party were fruitless at the time of writing and messages had not been replied to.
Meanwhile below was the submission sent in colloquial Shona:
“Ku Budiriro 4 kwaita mhirizhonga iyo yakonzerwa nema youth e ZANU PF.
“Kwakuvara vanhu vatatu ve MDC-T. Vakuvara ava vatakurwa ndivo vanhu ve ZANU. Mumwe chete akuvara zvakanyanyisa, “Archway” nesimbi.
“Izvi zvaitika MP we Budiriro, above we MDC -T akatarisa.
“MP angaachiita musangano patanga mhirizhonga iyi.
“Vanzwikwa vachitaura kuti varwadziwa nekumba vanhu ve MDC nokunwa kwavange vachaita doro.”

Former Deputy Justice minister and Mazowe South legislator, Fortune Chasi has become the first senior ZANU PF bigwig to openly speak against Grace Mugabe’s violent evictions of Manzou Farm villagers which have seen the latter reportedly beaten up by police officers during an illegal operation which was a violation of a court order.

Chasi continues to be the only Zanu PF bigwig who has the courage to publicly empathise with poor families being evicted from a Mazowe farm by First Lady Grace Mugabe to pave way for the expansion of her vast business empire in the area.
However, a party insider told the Daily News yesterday that Chasi’s “brave and admirable” stand was likely to cost him his parliamentary seat soon as “opposing Amai (Grace) is simply a suicidal mission within the party at the moment”.
“There is no doubt that Comrade Chasi’s stand on this matter is not just principled, it is brave and admirable.
“Sadly, it is likely to cost him his parliamentary seat as opposing Amai (Grace) is simply a suicidal mission within the party at the moment, moreso since Honourable Chasi has long been a marked man.
“Even higher authorities (within Zanu PF) fear crossing Amai’s path, which means the end is nigh for him, with his seat likely to end up with the First Lady herself,” the central committee member, who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation, said.
Contacted by the Daily News for a comment on the controversial evictions, Chasi — who was recently fired as a junior minister by President Robert Mugabe for his perceived support for former vice president Joice Mujuru — said yesterday that the government needed to be sensitive to the plight of poor people.
As a result, he said, he would work with Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) to help the traumatised families.
“I have been to my constituency and have witnessed evidence of the displaced people. Given that the atmosphere is charged and tense, I was unable to do anything.
“There were armed police evicting people and what can I do under those circumstances as I become powerless since the whole matter involves the First family,” Chasi said. Grace viciously attacked Chasi in August last year, after she accused him of trying to thwart her bid to acquire more farming land in the area.
On this allegation, Chasi said, “The First Lady has been misinformed that I was against her taking the farm in the constituency. I know that some politicians in the province misinformed her that I was fighting her bid to occupy the area and it is very unfortunate.
“The fact is affected families only appealed to me for help as their MP, and I never intended to fight the First Lady.” In her vitriolic attacks on him last year, the First Lady accused Chasi of “terrorising” her in the area, where she owns a number of farms and runs her Amai Grace Mugabe Children’s Home.
She also accused him of spreading falsehoods about her and her controversial land grabs, ostensibly in a quest to tarnish the name of the First Family.
“Zvazvakaita ndakaita apply pane conservancy iri kuseri uko which was being run by the whites,” she said. “Ndikangoona yakagara, then I applied to use it to raise mari yekuchengeta vana pano apa ndobva ndapiwa tsamba inini.
“Saka vanhu vakangozvigarisa vaichera chera imomo vakanzi vabude, iye (Chasi) akati ‘muri kuvaburitsirei? Mugabe nemukadzi wake vari kuda kutora land yese.’ Akaenda kucourt nevanhu vaye kuti kana hazvimboite.
“Iye akapiwa farm naVa(Martin) Dinha akariramba. Akatengwa nemurungu akapiwa mari akati handiride,” she said.
(I applied for a conservancy in this area which was being run by whites. I had seen it lying idle and I applied to use it to raise money to look after children at the Mazowe Children’s Home and I was given an offer letter by authorities. The people who were squatting on that conservancy were then ordered off the property, but Chasi queried why these people were being kicked off the land. He alleged that Mugabe and his wife wanted to take all the land. Chasi went to court with these squatters to resist the takeover of the conservancy. But he was given land by Martin Dinha and he refused because he had been given money by the white owner.)
In further bizarre remarks, the First Lady also claimed that Chasi had also made false allegations that she had engineered the eviction of a famous traditional healer who was staying at Henderson Farm in Mazowe, when the healer had been expelled by the Mashonaland Central leadership.
She said she had running battles in Mazowe with people who accused her of grabbing land, including a farm belonging to Interfresh, adding that it was the Mashonaland Central leadership that had allocated her a portion of Interfresh Farm that was lying idle.
But contrary to Chasi’s brave stand on the matter Mashonaland Central minister of State, Martin Dinha, claimed in an interview with the Daily News yesterday that the evicted families were illegal settlers and, therefore should pave way for the First Family “to do as it pleases”.
“I am currently on leave but I am well aware of that case. This is not a new matter, we have dealt with it before and these people should return to the plots we gave them. That is a conservancy not a place for agriculture,” Dinha said.
Dickson Mafios, Zanu PF provincial chairperson for Mashonaland Central, said the villagers had to leave the farm immediately.
“I know what is happening in Mazowe area. Amai Mugabe havafanire kunetswa. (Grace must not be bothered). I know these people were given farms to live on and they have returned.
“Some of them are illegal gold miners. Manzou is a game reserve area and what are people doing there? It is supposed to be a tourist attraction area in the province and we do not want illegal people living there,” Mafios said.
Commenting on the eviction of the villagers from Manzou Farm, MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday tore into the First Lady accusing her of being insensitive to the plight of poor Zimbabweans.
“It is a disgrace really. You cannot have that. Zanu PF has survived on chaos and impunity. This is a typical testimony of insensitivity, at this hour when rains are pouring and you start instituting those measures,” Tsvangirai observed ruefully.
Police have not just been destroying the evicted families’ homes and heartlessly slashing their maize crops, they have also left traumatised women, frail old people and young children to their own devices in the open, in driving rain. And with schools set to open next week, it is clear that many children will suffer the consequences and miss school. It is understood that Grace wants to turn the fertile farm into a lucrative animal sanctuary.
“Dai anga ari mwana wako asiri kuenda kuchikoro achirara panze (If it was your child who was not going to school and was sleeping in the open), how would you feel?
“How would you feel for those poor families you are evicting? And the irony of it is you are removing them to make way for animals instead of people,” Tsvangirai said.
“I think the time has come to call Grace to order because this is a run of madness,” Tsvangirai added on Thursday. – DailyNews

OVER a dozen villagers in Nsindi, Gwanda, could each serve at least nine years in prison after they killed 20 pythons which were part of a nest of about 40 and were found dumped by a roadside. The incident, which happened on Tuesday last week comes after villagers in Zimhofu, Zaka in Masvingo, on Sunday last week found more than 30 pythons on top of a grave.
Villagers, who saw the reptiles which were over a metre long, said beside the pythons was a sack which is said to have contained the snakes.
Of the more than 40 snakes that were seen, 20 were killed by villagers fearing Satanism while the rest disappeared into the bush.
A Sunday News crew, which visited the site where the snakes were “dumped” last Thursday, only found stones which the villagers used to kill the snakes.
Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson, Mrs Caroline Washaya-Moyo, confirmed receiving reports of the dumped pythons. She said the villagers risked being jailed for killing the pythons.
“We are going to send a team to go to Gwanda and conduct investigations in that village so that we can bring the perpetrators to book. The public should know that if they come across such species they are supposed to report the case to the nearest police station or park. They should not handle the case on their own because they put themselves in danger,” she said.
“Pythons are specially protected species because in our culture they are associated with the rains. They scientifically symbolise plenty food like frogs, so it is a serious crime to kill a python. One can be locked in jail for nine years for killing a python with no option of paying a fine.”
Nsindi Village head Mr Cain Dube said he was shocked when he was informed by his subjects that there were pythons dumped a few metres behind his homestead.
“I got to know about these mysterious snakes when I was in Gwanda town. Almost everyone was talking about it. One of my neighbourhood policemen, Christopher Dube, told me that he saw 20 dead pythons at a road junction,” said Headman Dube.
“Other villagers, who saw the pythons earlier, reported that there were more than 40 of them dumped on the path. It is said that there was a sack just beside the pythons which we are confident contained the snakes. What surprised us is that when we went to the scene, the snakes were nowhere to be found, including the dead ones. This suggested that they had been taken away by somebody. I think this has something to do with witchcraft.”
Mr Dube said he almost froze with fear when he stumbled upon the snakes while coming from another village on his way home on Wednesday last week.
“I heard of the pythons when my daughter-in-law told me about them on Tuesday afternoon while I was on my way to pay a friend a visit. When I returned home the following day, I took the shortest route and that is when I could not believe my eyes when I found myself in the middle of 20 dead pythons.
“Villagers killed 20 pythons as they could not believe what they saw too. Surprisingly, when we visited the scene, those dead pythons could not be found. I think somebody had collected them back after performing a certain ritual as pythons are believed to be associated with rituals,” he said.
Another villager, Mr Aelpo Ncube, who saw the pythons, linked the incident to an act of witchcraft.
“In our culture, it is very rare for a python to be seen. In this case the pythons were many and others were found dead before they mysteriously disappeared. Everyone is shocked in the village because we do not know how we can interpret this. Surely, this might mark the end of the world,” said Mr Ncube. – Sunday News

Several government officials are fearing for their lives as police have made no progress in investigating break ins at several government offices, the state media reports claiming.
FULL REPORT: Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Mrs Virginia Mabiza told The Sunday Mail that ministry officials were afraid the assassins could target them. She revealed that police detectives only visited the New Government Complex twice since the attempt on VP Mnangagwa’s office.
On the first occasion, they assessed the crime scene and left. On the second day, they brought in sniffer dogs, collected fingerprints and interviewed staffers.
Mrs Mabiza said: “Obviously we need an outcome on the attempted break-in at the VP’s office that occurred last year. The police came and took statements and finger-prints from all the staff that works in the same corridor as the VP.
“We continue to live in fear because we do not know who these assailants are and by this time we expect the police to have picked someone for questioning. “Yes, the security personnel have been increased, but we now expect arrests to be made considering that sets of fingerprints were uplifted.”
Judicial Services Commission acting secretary Justice Rita Makarau said she was yet to be updated on investigations regarding the break-in at Chief Justice Chidyausiku’s office.
“Officially, no one has been apprehended by the police and they have not yet picked up any suspects in connection with the burglary that happened four months ago.
“After the burglary, police details visited Chief Justice Chidyausiku’s offices and took statements from other officers stationed there. They uplifted finger-prints from the crime scene, but up to now no suspect has been picked up.”
A Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development official – who preferred anonymity – said police should expedite the investigations.
The official said: “Police are letting us down. It is now almost seven days after the break-in and they have not picked up anyone in connection with this. There are security officers who will be on duty and these should be picked up for questioning.
“We are living in fear. They want to make arrests when someone has died and that is unfair. Remember, cyanide was sprinkled in the VP’s office and three people were affected. The next time it could be arsenic poisoning.”
Home Affairs Deputy Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said police investigations were continuing, adding that details will be revealed once there are breakthroughs.
“Investigations are being carried out in the case involving the plot to assassinate President Mugabe. A lot of developments have sprouted over the past months in relation to the assassination plot, hence our force is gathering evidence.
“As for break-ins, we are seized with these unusual developments and as a ministry we are in the process of reviewing the whole security system.
“Our preliminary observations indicate that there is a clique of people which knows the security system and taking advantage of loopholes. Police have not yet given us a detailed report on the investigations.”
Analysts advocated the immediate investigation and arrest of Gumbo, Mutasa and Goche given their links to the alleged assassination plot.
Prominent lawyer Mr Jonathan Samkange said police were not executing their duties diligently and accused them of “taking the nation on a joy ride on the notion of ‘investigations are still underway’”. It is clear the police are dragging their feet on the assassination case. The allegations were raised against the plotters, the names are there. We are now in 2015 and this all happened in 2014 and not even one of the plotters has been picked up for questioning.
“The police should just come out in the open and tell the nation the truth. If the allegations were false they should just tell the whole country.
‘‘They cannot continue saying to Zimbabweans and the international community that a treasonous act is still under investigation for more than five months.”
He continued: “They should just arrest people. The names are there; what more investigation needs to be carried out? Break-ins in Government offices and protected areas are not something we need to sit and look at as a portrait. The police should not tell us that they have uplifted fingerprints and fail to arrest or pick up suspects.
“It seems the relevant authorities are letting the police take us for a ride. When allegations are raised against individuals, they are picked up. So, why are they failing to pick up these people for questioning? It is all a hoax, the police should not let the nation down.”

The grand-lawsuit by close to 200 Mazoe families against First Lady Grace Mugabe who wants to build a game reserve and has left the villagers homeless, is set to pour humiliation on President Robert Mugabe.
The lawyer for the families, Gift Mtisi of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), told ZimEye.com there is High Ourt order barring the removals meaaning the police who carried out the evictions acted in contempt of court. “We have a court order so we are taking this forward against the government ministers involved,” he said of the illegal eviction which come shortly in the heels of another plan to kick out 600 more at Celtic Farm in the Mazowe area to pave way for another of Grace’s expansive ambitions.
Hundreds of villagers have since been left with no roof over their head in the torrential rains which pounded the Mazoe causing massive flooding.
The evictions were carried out by the police and a judge is now set to rule if the villagers’ case should be heard urgently. Mtisi in another interview told Sapa that lawyers had instituted contempt of court proceedings against police and two ministers in President Robert Mugabe’s government over the demolitions, on Manzou Estate in Mazowe district.
“We are now waiting for a judge to make a decision on whether the matter is urgent or not so that it can be heard anytime [from now],” Mtisi said.
The families were granted a court order last year preventing the authorities from evicting them from their homes near Mazowe – where Grace Mugabe already owns an orphanage, a school and a farm – until they had been allocated alternative land.
Mtisi said: “In respect of the court order, which we already had, we instituted contempt of court proceedings. We are defending the order which was granted last year.”
The two ministers cited are the minister of land and the minister of home affairs.
Human rights groups and opposition parties have slammed the demolition of the houses belonging to the villagers, some of who have been living at Manzou Estate for the last 14 years.
Separate reports on Friday said that another 600 families from the nearby Celtic Farm had also been told to vacate their plots to make way for Grace Mugabe.
“According to Grace Mugabe, might is right and the rights of the poor do not matter at all as long as the rich and powerful get their way,” Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Obert Gutu said.
The Heal Zimbabwe Trust, a prominent local rights group, said in a statement issued on Friday: “Some of the victims are sleeping in the open and most of them have young babies and children.”
SAPA

A RESIDENTIAL stands scandal has rocked the Bulawayo City Council’s Housing and Community Services department where officials shadily sold more stands than those available in Luveve, with the local authority reportedly dispatching its audit teams to investigate the matter.This comes amid allegations that some council officials were fast-tracking stand application forms upon receiving bribes from members of the public.
The scam has also sucked in councillors who allegedly approach senior officials at the department for “favours” in the allocation of stands within the city.
It is alleged that the local authority now has to find close to 200 optional stands after they sold stands to 1 000 desperate homeseekers against 800 available stands in Luveve, amid suspicion that some officials sold stands to “their people” in total disregard to a list drawn from the housing waiting list.
Beneficiaries paid at least $1 700 as deposit for the stands. The stands cost at least $3 200 for the smallest size, 200 square metres.
It is also alleged that officials in the housing department also arranged for an official from the housing office to travel to the United Kingdom to collect money made from the unscrupulous sale of the Luveve stands.
Confirming these developments, the city’s acting town clerk, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, said they were investigating the issue and all corrupt officials would soon be brought to book.
“We only learnt about this anomaly recently which is worrying because these stands were despatched a couple of years ago. The audit team is currently investigating the matter so that first we establish what really went wrong, punish whoever is found on the wrong side of the law and ensure that residents who were affected can be compensated with other stands.
“Just as proof of the magnitude of this scam, one cannot just sell a housing stand to an individual without having first shown them the stand. Whenever someone pays for a stand, they are supposed to be given a house number. Besides, stands themselves can never have similar prices as this is determined by the size of the stand. Therefore, it is not only impossible for one to just sell stands (without showing the buyer) but it is also illegal,” said Mrs Zhou.
She called on members of the public who were affected to approach council and assured them not to panic as council had already identified land in Magwegwe North where they would be allocated stands.
The acting town clerk also revealed that if any official travelled to the United Kingdom to collect money for stands, this was done outside council.
“Yes, at times we have engaged the diaspora community in terms of possible investment opportunities in the country but I am not aware of any situation where we have sent anyone to the diaspora,” she said.
On councillors being implicated in the housing scam, the city’s mayor, Councillor Martin Moyo, said while there was nothing wrong with councillors assisting residents with ready cash in getting stands, it was illegal and a punishable offence when they solicit for bribes to play the middleman role.
“I have had a lot of people come to me requesting that I assist them in getting stands. I see nothing wrong with me putting in a good word for them within the (Housing and Community Services) department but it only becomes illegal and reportable when we have someone soliciting for bribes in exchange for playing a middleman’s role.
“Another problem is that our records are genuinely in shambles. While we have application forms dating back to the 1980s, we cannot easily locate most of the applicants because council only computerised its records less than 10 years ago. Therefore, you find some people end up exploiting the system,” said Clr Moyo.
He said the ideal situation especially with high density low income stands, was that council religiously follows the housing waiting list when allocating these stands.
“The only time when someone can jump the waiting list is probably when they have ready cash and when the shortlisted individuals do not respond to calls that they have been shortlisted to get the stands.
“It is only in the low-density suburbs that we can ignore the housing waiting list and prioritise people with ready cash. As council, we keep it in mind that our housing waiting list has ballooned to over 100 000. We try by all means that we work towards effectively reducing this figure,” said the mayor.
However, the city’s director of Housing and Community Services, Mr Isaiah Magagula, downplayed the alleged scandal within his department, saying these were malicious reports being spread by people who wanted to discredit the way council was being run.
“Why do people want to cause unnecessary panic and look for dirt where there is no dirt, it is a fact that we haven’t recently allocated any stands, so I wonder what scam they are talking about. All those allegations are all lies,” said Mr Magagula.
Impeccable council sources, however, revealed that the senior officials within the department were at the core of the scam, using their influence to allocate stands willy-nilly.
“They have the power and they really exploit it. What they are doing is that someone who has an application form which is as recent as last year (2014) can easily get a stand as long as they pay $500. They make it seem as if the application form is dated in the 90s hence making them eligible to get a stand,” said the source.
Some officials in the department have since been earmarked for transfer after voicing their concerns on the anomalies.
The source revealed that the transfers were in preparation for new stands that were set to be released in Magwegwe North, Magwegwe West and Tshabalala Extension.
Contacted for comment, two officials implicated in the irregular sale of stands dismissed the allegations claiming that these were malicious accusations being spread by someone who was aggrieved by their “exemplary” conduct within the local authority.
“These are serious malicious allegations. I am sure that whoever is saying that is so aggrieved and wants to destroy me. I am even shocked at the power that is being allocated to me. Yes I am a boss there but some of the things that I am being accused of I cannot do alone.
“As a public figure, I invite anyone who wants to investigate me to be free to do so and if I am found to be on the wrong side of the law I am willing to be punished but I can tell you that my books are all in order. Even the house I am currently staying in, you can check how I got it and I can even further prove where I got the money to purchase the stand and build,” said one of the officials.

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces has entered into a dodgy deal with an unknown (shady, as admitted by the government) Chinese company to establish the Zhing Zhong Cement company which they want to start on top of the Charumbira ancestral lands following the discovery of limestone underneath. The Zim government admits this Chinese company is unknown and the army has already moved into the area seeking to force the villagers out with neither compensation nor relocation plan.
STATE MEDIA REPORT:
Over 500 families in Charumbira communal lands in Masvingo have demanded full compensation and alternative land for resettlement before agreeing to pave way for a new multi-million-dollar cement manufacturing project earmarked for the area.
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces entered into a joint venture with an unknown Chinese firm to establish Zimbabwe Zhing Zhong Cement Company that plans to open a cement plant in Charumbira area.
This follows the discovery of rich limestone deposits in the area last year. The company has already applied to Masvingo Rural District Council for an operating licence to start the project.
However, families from about 16 villages that will be displaced by the cement company want clarity on the issue of compensation.
The families, through their traditional leadership, vowed to resist efforts to displace them unless they were guaranteed of the availability of alternative land to resettle them.
They said lessons from the Tokwe-Mukosi disaster in Chivi had taught them the importance of receiving compensation first when there was mass relocation of people to pave way for a big national project.
Chief Fortune Charumbira yesterday said officials from Zimbabwe Zhing Zhong Cement Company recently met villagers from his area to solicit their views on the project.
He said villagers were not against the opening of the cement plant, but wanted clarity on some issues.
“The Tokwe-Mukosi disaster taught people a lot of experiences and in Charumbira there are about 16 villages that will be displaced by the proposed cement project, but the affected people need clarity in black and white on the issue of compensation and the exact timelines of its payment,” he said.
“People in Charumbira are not against development but they also want to know the extent of benefits that will accrue to their area because of the cement plant. There are also issues to do with pollution and resettlement that need to be addressed before people can accept to be moved.”
“There is the realisation that modern infrastructure such as roads, clinics and new schools will be opened while employment will also be created, but villagers around the project also need a share of the development cake,” he added.
Masvingo RDC chief executive officer Mr Martin Mubviro said the project would directly employ 4 000 workers with work on the cement plant expected to start soon.
“We have already told Zimbabwe Zhing Zhong Cement Company what they need to do before we can consider their application. Their project has to get thumbs up from the community around where they want to open their plant,” he said.
Mr Mubviro said once the Charumbira community had agreed to the project, council would then pass a resolution giving Zimbabwe Zhing Zhong Cement Company an operating licence.
The proposed cement plant will become Zimbabwe’s fourth and is expected to further consolidate the country’s position as a major cement producer in southern Africa.
FACEBOOK COMMENTS
 

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  Edmond Kadzunge So where is the brutal seizure of the land there?Its this kind of journalism which is causing problems the world over.Nxaaaa.

  Like · Reply · about an hour ago

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  ZimEye “It is indeed brutal, read carefully and you will see. Furthermore, the move is in principle and practice militant as legally the army does not have operation standing isolated from government especially to conduct private business as is the case now. Can you envision the army owning for instance a beerhall, how the public will view them? Again if a member of the same taxpaying public, wishes to utilise that beerhall will they feel free to enter its vicinity? If someone misbehaves at the beerhall, will they not be crushed with brute force? All this points to the fact that the army has taken a brutal turn as they abuse their standing.” – REPLY from Tendai Mhlanga, article author.

  Like · 1 ·  · 46 minutes ago ·

• 

  Write a reply…

   

 

• 

  Getrude Mhlanga Chaweya zhing zhong company OMG!

  Like · Reply · about an hour ago
• 

  Ndabezinhle Ngwane Zimlies

  Like · Reply · about an hour ago

 

A fatal accident occurred near ZBC Mbare studios Friday night at 10PM.
One person was killed as a Toyota Hilux (pictured) crushed into a bus felling right under it.
A police comment could not be obtained at the time of writing and the deceased’s identity was not known. More to follow in this developing story… PICTURES:

STATE MEDIA: The First Family does not own Manzou Farm in Mazowe and has nothing to do with the eviction of illegal settlers taking place in the area, Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Advocate Martin Dinha said yesterday.
He said the area was not for human habitation and the province was making efforts to restore it to its former status as a national heritage site. Manzou Farm was a game park and the Department of National Museums and Monuments declared it a national heritage site years ago.
However, it was invaded by illegal gold panners. Adv Dinha said Government had “no apologies to make” as the evictions were merely a provincial exercise dealing with squatters.
“It has got nothing to do with the First Family at all,” he said. “This business of abusing the name of the First Lady, her privacy and integrity must come to an end. Zimbabwe is not a banana republic as wished by some people and we have not deteriorated to that level of lawlessness and anarchy.”
Some sections of the media reported that the land invaders were evicted at the behest of the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, claiming she wanted to set up a multi-million-dollar wildlife sanctuary.
Only 48 families, not 600 as touted by the private media, were giving the province headaches. It emerged yesterday that the reason behind the families’ resistance was illegal gold panning with “certain politicians” in the province influencing them to stay.
Most of the land invaders came from Glendale and Chiweshe.
Said Adv Dinha: “Our people must know that we cannot just wake up and stay anywhere, those in need of land know we have authorities at district, provincial and national levels. We make no apology and we will deal with all illegal settlers accordingly. Spent forces like those influencing them have no political relevance.”
He said Manzou Farm was a Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management area and Government was moving towards re-establishing the game park and the Nehanda National Monument.
“The game park, prior to the land reform, was owned by a consortium of business people but at the height of the agrarian reform people invaded the area and started poaching and illegal gold panning activities also affecting Henderson Research Station, a Sadc quarantine center specialising in animal research in the process,” Adv Dinha said.
“Efforts to amicably restore the status of the game park has been met with stiff resistance because they (invaders) are being influenced politically. The whole of Manzou was designated as Nehanda National Monument with the same status as Great Zimbabwe. This means that it became a National Parks and a national heritage site, which had to be protected environmentally. In terms of this Government proclamation, the area should be preserved as a cultural heritage site and was not for occupation by people. The Provincial Development Committee resolved that they were going to resuscitate Manzou Game Park and its national monument status.”
He added: “Traditional authorities point out that Manzou was among the holiest national heritage sites in Zimbabwe having places such as Baradzanwa and Shavarunzi, where the great Mbuya Nehanda lived.”
He said because of illegal gold panning and political influence, the illegal settlers were refusing to go despite being offered an alternative place.
Although Adv Dinha, did not mention any names, First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe last year accused Mazowe South legislator Cde Fortune Chasi of terrorising her in Mazowe, where she runs a Children’s Home.
She said Cde Chasi, who was recently fired as Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Deputy Minister, was peddling falsehoods that the First Family wanted to take all the land in Mazowe.
Said Adv Dinha: “They simply do not want to leave the area because the main activity they are carrying out is gold panning thereby causing wanton destruction of vegetation, creating dongas not suitable for animal habitation.
“From 2008, I have had meetings with these people and they agreed to be removed. It’s not a communal area like areas adjacent such as Chinamhora, Chikwaka and Masembura.
“We have carried out an exercise where we relocated them to Lazy, Blagdon and Nyandirwi farms in Mazowe. Transport and all logistics were in place, schools and boreholes were there but they are still here (Manzou Farm).”
“It is only 48 families giving us problems yet another 1 200 families accepted their fate and are happily living in those areas allocated.” When The Herald visited the area yesterday demolitions were still going on and some of the affected people interviewed pleaded for more time.
“We have crops and although we have been fighting for a long time, they should just give us more time than leaving us in the open,” said one villager identified as Mr King Makhosa. herald

As ZANU PF seeks to recuperate itself after ejecting Joice Mujuru and her powerful camp, the party has begun dishing out thousands of dollars, brand new cars and vast tracts of land to local pastors, as payment to the men of the cloth for routine facility sermons to prepare voters’ minds in preparation for the looming bi elections after the much anticipated ouster of Joice Mujuru MPs, in a string of activities all culminating to the 2018 polls.
Pastors have since begun receiving the same preferrential treatment as village chiefs.
More than 20 pastors at the weekend converged at the Bulawayo Red Cross building along Lobengula Street, for a mobilisation session and to discuss their recently announced special incentives from the ruling  ZANU PF party which are on condition they start political campaigns with their worshipers.
This came to light when this journalist sneaked into the meeting to attend as one of them in a bid to gather information after a tip off from one of the “anointed pastors” and founder of a Bulawayo based Pentecostal church. The clergymen are going to be beneficiaries of the farms and will also be receiving Ford vehicles and farming inputs of the same quality as those given to traditional chiefs in the country.
According to one of the pastors who was addressing the gathering and identified as Pastor Ndlovu from New Rivers of Life Ministries, “This is manna from heaven bazalwane; we have to utilise this opportunity to have farms and cash to grow our Ministries and protect our skins from agony,” he said to a round of applause from attendants.
Pastor Ndlovu’s sentiments were echoed by those of Hope Revival Apostles founding Bishop Kunene, who said the offer was a sign of a bright future. “This is a sign of a fruitful year for Christians. We need to convince our congregants of a possible violence free 2018 general election if all of us are in the farms offered to us, and we will be in safe hands by simply taking this offer,” he said.
Also in attendance were pastors from Lion of Judah, Zionist Fellowship, Zvirigo Zvezwi church, Good hope Ministries, Resurrections Fellowship, Zviratidzo Zvevapostori, Ambassadors Fellowship, End Time Message, Kingdom Fellowship Ministries, Rivers of Life Ministries, Apostolic Faith Fellowshipping, Messengers of Christ, Christian World Ministries and Zion Christian Church respectively.
In separate interviews with a number of pastors after the meeting that revealed the mission of the gathering, ZimEye.com was told that the meeting was a blessed one as it seeks to equip Christians. “This is an answer to our prayers, as land is one of the most important things on earth given by the heavens. We are in need of farms to produce our own food,” said Pastor Ruwodo of Kingdom Fellowship.
Asked to comment on their relationship with ZANU Pf, Bishop Dlodlo of Resurrections Fellowship said, “All political parties in the world are God’s creation. Therefore every individual must abide by the rules of the government of that day.
What we need is to be within the ruling party so that we can also eat the cake that was created by God, and this cake is Zimbabwe. Youngman don’t you want a farm to look after your family and to feed your family? You need to eat before you write your stories,” said one of the pastors before driving away.
Efforts to get comment from ZANU PF Bulawayo provincial Chairman Callistas Ndlovu hit a brick wall, as his mobile was continuously not reachable.
Meanwhile Central Committee member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu confirmed there are programs engaging churches.  He said, two Sundays ago we had a big church service involving more than 2000 people, organised by the churches and (Andrew) Wutaunashe’s Family Of God Church, on reconciliation and praying for leadership. And then before that we had Prayer Day on Unity Day and we had about six pastors. So we are working with churches, we are not working in isolation. We have got party members who some of them are also priests, so we don’t separate the party and the church,” he said.

WHILE the nation is still aghast over the eviction of 200 families to make way for First Lady Grace Mugabe, it has emerged that 600 more families at Celtic Farm in Mazowe have been ordered to vacate the property this week so she can further extend her business empire.

This comes hardly 24 hours after she forcibly evicted over 200 families at the nearby Spenenken and Arnold Farms, which form Manzou Estate, where she has publicly declared her interest.

Manzou Game Park is on the edges of Mazowe Dam.

Villagers claimed that their colleagues at Celtic Farms One to Four had been given notices to vacate the farm to pave way for Grace.

They alleged that Grace had entered into a gold mining and processing partnership with a Chinese firm at Wagna Gold Mills, which they wrested from its previous owner, only identified as Munyoro.

Grace was said to be operating the mine through a proxy, a top police officer in the Police Protection Unit.

Grace, who runs an orphanage, an affluent primary school and Alpha Omega Dairy project, has publicly announced plans to annex more land to set up a private wildlife sanctuary, hospital, secondary school and Robert Mugabe University.

According to the villagers, heavily armed police officers yesterday besieged Spenenken and Arnold farms and burnt down some makeshift homes that had remained intact after Wednesday’s raid.

“Six truckloads of police officers armed with guns, baton sticks and sniffer dogs arrived in Manzou today (yesterday morning),” Costa Chirimba, one of the villagers said.

“The trucks returned with another load and ordered villagers to pack their belongings before they destroyed the houses.”

Another villager, Gift Chikowore, said police pulled down some houses before property was removed after villagers deserted their homes hoping that the police would spare them if household goods remained inside.

“But the police destroyed the houses and set on fire the grass thatch on houses they destroyed yesterday (Wednesday),” he said.

“They also blocked the roads to make sure that villagers did not run away.”

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba and principal director (State Residences) Dzepasi Innocent Tizora again could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Charamba did not answer his phone, while Tizora’s number was not reachable.

Villagers whose homes were destroyed on Wednesday slept in the open while yesterday they were busy looking for transport to carry their belongings from the farm.

However, most of them said they did not know where to go as they left their previous homes 14 years ago at the height of the land reform programme.

Villagers have already engaged the services of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to stop police from evicting them as ordered by the High Court last year when over 700 villagers were evicted before harvesting their crops.

Last year, some of the affected villagers were initially dumped in Rushinga, Lazy and Blagdon farms in Concession before they took legal action and got a High Court reprieve to stay at the property until they had been allocated alternative pieces of land to resettle.

“The lawyers have advised us that they have written to the Judicial Services Commission to get the police to respect the High Court order and stop the eviction.

“They were promised a response by 8am (yesterday), but up to now, no response had been received,” George Musa, one of the villagers said last night. – SouthernEye

Chitungwiza residents have raised concern over the poor state of their roads which were left impassable by heavy rains that pounded the town and many parts of the country over the past few days.
In an interview with Talking Harare, Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST) coordinator Tinashe Kazuru said the heavy rains have exposed the poor road quality in the town and blamed the local authority for failing to consistently repair roads and only try to react to situations.
‘The road situation in Chitungwiza has worsened as almost all roads are not passable due to heavy rains that hit the town and created craters that are dangerous to motorists and pedestrians. They (city council) knew that the rainy season was coming, but surprisingly they were folding their hands, they are only trying to react now when the situation has already worsened,’ said Kazuru.
He encouraged the residents to resort to social responsibility and try to rectify the problem on their own saying council has shown that it has no capacity to solve the problem. ‘We are encouraging residents to use rubbles and sand to cover potholes. It’s not a permanent solution to the problem but for now it has proven to be useful especially given that the local authority has no interest and capacity to solve the problem,’ added Kazuru.
Commenting on the same issue, Chitungwiza Commuter Operators Association secretary general, Farai Muza shared the same sentiments with Kazuru saying kombi drivers were now afraid of putting the lives of commuters in danger as the situation on the roads had become unbearable. ‘This is not at all good. We are incurring many expenses in trying to repair our damaged vehicles and as we ferry passengers, there is great danger that you might drive into a pothole and if you are not lucky people might get killed in the process,’ said Muza who also blamed responsible authorities for failing to take immediate action.
Some motorists also told Talking Harare that they were shocked at the lack of commitment from their local authority to repair potholes on their roads.
‘We are surprised, everyone is seeing this but nothing is being done,’ said Sungano Mabika a Chitungwiza motorist.
The roads situation has worsened from the time the rainy season begun not only in Chitungwiza but in greater Harare as well. The capital city’s mayor Benard Manyenyeni was forced to hold a crisis meeting with ZINARA Board Chairman Albert Mugabe to map the way forward.
Meanwhile, the heavy rains that hit greater Harare and many parts of the country left a trail of destruction as many houses collapsed in areas like Caledonia, Hopley and Chitungwiza. Bridget Tamayi of Caledonia had this to say about the situation in the informal settlement, ‘…things are not well in Caledonia, these rains have destroyed our homes and most people are sleeping outside in the cold. Those that are lucky to have cars are actually using them as shelter. We are calling on the government and interested parties or even individuals to assist in any way they can. If these heavy rains come again, we will be in bigger trouble. Some people are sleeping outside with children and this is very worrying.’

THE cash-strapped Zimbabwean government, which has been struggling to pay civil servants’ salaries and bonuses on time and provide adequate social services, has bought new vehicles for senior members of the spy Central Intelligence Organisation at a cost of more than US$2 million, top government sources have revealed.
The expenditure comes at a time government is also shelling out cash to buy top-of-the-range vehicles for new ministers, appointed by President Robert Mugabe in December after he fired vice-president Joice Mujuru and 15 ministers deemed to be her allies as factionalism in Zanu PF raged.
The sources revealed that in addition to catering for the new ministers government also rewarded District Intelligence Officers (DIOs) last month with the 2013 version of the top-selling Toyota Corolla.
The vehicles are said to have been bought in South Africa at an average cost of US$25 000 each. There are about 60 DIOs, meaning government spent at least US$1,5 million on the vehicles.
In addition, Provincial Intelligence Officers (PIOs) and other agents at their level were allocated Toyota Fortuners — described as mid-sized sport utility vehicles (SUVs) — which cost an average of
US$50 000.
Zimbabwe has 10 provinces, suggesting the PIOs gobbled about US$500 000, but other officers at that level who are not stationed in the provinces also received vehicles, bringing the total vehicles cost to more than US$2 million.
The revelations come as Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa allocated US$89 241 000 to the CIO, which falls under the President’s Office, in his 2015 budget.
The allocation for the CIO was listed under special services, which accounted for a significant amount of the US$190,052,500 allocated to the President’s Office.
Of the total 2015 budget of US$4,1billion Chinamasa said US$3,7billion would go towards recurrent expenditure, mostly labour costs, leaving precious little for crucial development projects and social services.
Mugabe, currently in Singapore for his annual vacation, is expected to reshuffle his cabinet again soon, where he is likely to drop more ministers suspected to be in the retreating Mujuru camp, and also name new ministers to fill vacancies created by the purge.
So far Mugabe has dumped Mujuru and several ministers including some who had seemingly become permanent fixtures in government. These include Didymus Mutasa, Webster Shamu, Francis Nhema, Olivia Muchena and Nicholas Goche.
Although government has over the years been complaining about declining revenue inflows as the economy remains stuck in the doldrums it has not hesitated to buy state-of-the-art vehicles, among them expensive versions of the Mercedes Benz and all-terrain vehicles for ministers, deputy ministers, senior civil servants and top security personnel considered the real power behind Mugabe’s throne.
New officials in government whom government has catered for include Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, Samuel Undenge (Energy and Power Development), Supa Mandiwanzira (Information Communication Technology), Christopher Mushowe (Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment), Christopher Mutsvangwa (Welfare Services for War Veterans), as well as Prisca Mupfumira (Public Service.
Others include Tsitsi Muzenda, who was sworn in as Energy and Power Development deputy minister in December, as well as Mandi Chimene (Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister) and Biggie Joel Matiza (Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister).
The 2015 budget figures showed government’s skewed spending priorities. For instance, security ministries will gobble US$1bn of the budget, about a quarter of the total budget, while little was given to ministries like Industry and Mines which are at the heart of the economy. Industry and Commerce received US$23,2million and Mines US$18million, which is far smaller than the CIO budget alone.
By comparison, Defence was allocated US$380 million, Home Affairs US$485 million and the Office of the President and Cabinet — which houses the CIO — US$190 million.
Although economic ministries — except Agriculture which received US$225 million — were allocated paltry sums, social ministries were well-supported.
Health was allocated US$377million and Education US$919 million. — Independent

FORMER vice-president Joice Mujuru’s fate rests with President Robert Mugabe who is expected to decide whether she should be prosecuted on graft charges when he returns from his holiday in the Far East next week, the Zimbabwe Independent has learnt.
Mujuru lost the vice-presidency after being dumped by Mugabe ahead of the Zanu PF congress in December.
Her ouster was sealed after she was subjected to a vicious and sustained public attack by First Lady Grace Mugabe and her supporters, who accused her of, among other things, plotting to oust and assassinate Mugabe, abuse of office, corruption, extorting shares from private companies, and illegally dealing in diamonds and gold.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has assembled a team of detectives, led by Chief Superintendent Luckson Mukazhi, to investigate Mujuru. The team has searched companies and premises linked to her after securing a search warrant from the High Court.
A senior police officer revealed that although investigations had reached an advanced stage, Mugabe would ultimately make the decision on whether Mujuru is prosecuted or not.
“She may no longer be the vice-president, but the matter is being treated sensitively hence the President will make the decision, like he normally does in high profile cases. As it is, the investigating team is regularly briefing superiors at PGHQ (Police General Headquarters),” said the officer.
“The Commissioner-General (Augustine Chihuri) will obviously brief the President on the investigations and he is the one who will decide how we proceed.”
Another officer said the investigating team was not sure their investigations would lead to the prosecution of the former vice-president, given the politics at play.
“There is a chance that the powers that be ordered the investigation as part of plan to maintain pressure on Mujuru and her allies post congress. It is difficult to tell whether the investigations will amount to anything because the president will have the final call,” said the officer.
While officially opening the 6th Zanu PF congress in December last year, Mugabe said the former vice-president and her allies, including civil servants, faced arrest if evidence was found that they were corrupt.
“If the allegations are proved there will be prosecution … and if you were a minister, deputy minister or civil servant, basa rinobva rapera (you will be fired)… People will lose their jobs, ministers, civil servants will lose their jobs and even face the wrath (of the law).”
Mugabe literally called Mujuru a “thief” who had betrayed the trust placed on her by members of the Women’s League, who in 2004 recommended she be elevated to the post of Vice-President.
“In 2004, women said they want one of them in the top leadership of the party. We agreed on that and said it was fine. It was building our leadership in the party,” Mugabe said.
“You gave us someone whom you thought was honest; her name is Joice Mujuru.
“I do not want to blame the women for giving us the VP, you thought she was a good person. We do not choose you to be thieves, but to end it (theft) in your areas. You should never send a thief to catch a thief. If we are sent to catch thieves and we become thieves, who will catch the thieves?” Mugabe asked.
However, Mugabe has a long history of failing to match his anti-corruption rhetoric with substantive action.
Without mentioning names, Chihuri announced during a pass-out parade in December at Morris Depot that the police would swoop on corrupt people in line with Mugabe’s sentiments, leading to the team being set up to investigate Mujuru. This led to an uproar, with many observers pointing out Chihuri did not need Mugabe’s say-so to execute his duties.
“This stance is in line with the organisation’s constitutional mandate and, more importantly, with His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe’s (Robert Mugabe) sentiments during the official opening of the 6th Zanu PF national people’s congress.”
Mujuru has repeatedly proclaimed her innocence and in a statement last year said she was willing to stand trial.
Mugabe fired Mujuru and several ministers linked to her in the biggest purge in Zanu PF since Independence, paralysing her faction.
Among the casualties were Didymus Mutasa (Presidential Affairs minister), Webster Shamu (Information Communication Technology), Francis Nhema (Indigenisation), Olivia Muchena (Higher and Tertiary Education), Dzikamai Mavhaire (Energy), Nicholas Goche (Public Service), Simbaneuta Mudarikwa (Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister) and Munacho Mutezo (Energy deputy minister).
He also dismissed Flora Buka (Minister of State for Presidential Affairs), Paul Chimedza (Health deputy minister), Sylvester Nguni (Minister of State in former Vice-President Mujuru’s Office), Tongai Muzenda (Public Service deputy minister), Petronella Kagonye (Transport deputy minister), Fortune Chasi (Justice deputy minister) and Tendai Savanhu (Lands deputy minister). – Independent

Harare city council which has been pumping contaminated water to residents, is today shutting down all its water supplies from the Jaffray Water Treatment Plant.
 
Council announced in a statement that they are shutting down all supplies from the Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant from 1600hrs on Friday.
 
The shutdown will stretch to 2200hrs on Sunday the 11th of January 2015.
 
The purpose of the shutdown is to allow for the installation new pumps at the plant.
 
An announcement by Harare West legislator Jessie Majome read, “Last chance to stock up water! until 1600hrs today- if your taps are are not yet dry already form our usual ‘normal’ Monday to Thursday drought . Please remember safety first- to keep all water containers sealed and away from young children who can drown in them, even just buckets, and to shut all taps tightly to avoid flooding homes when the water returns hopefully on Sunday 2200hrs as promised.
I’m disappointed that the Municipality is not supplying bowsers and is not maintaining and servicing the 4 boreholes I drilled and donated to it with my 2012 CDF, for times like this. CDF is a once off disbursement and cannot sustain machinery maintenance hence donation to Council would make the project sustainable. There’s one each at Sherwood Drive between Hillmorton and Clavering Roads, Ashdown Park Shops, Haig Park cnr Latchmore and Lauchlan Aves (drilled by an anonymous donor but which I repaired), Marlborough District Office at Civic Centre, and Chichera Plot Good Hope( whose tank was destroyed by my 2008 elections ZANU PF rival for the ‘crime’ of ‘having been installed by an MDC’ MP but whose replacement I sourced but am seeking the costs of remounting it)

These are your boreholes Harare Westerners, please form committees to secure them andensure Council maintains them, please inbox me so we can coordinate this as Council’s failure is most disappointing. My plan has been to drill at least 8 boreholes in 2 phases in each of our 2 wards with CDF. I’ve done phase 1 i.e. half of this with the only CDF I got in 2012. Since we were promised it in this year’s budget I hope I plan to complete this by phase 2 but I am not too happy to donate this resource to Council again without a maintenance plan commitment from it and you the community.
Thank you to the churches and individuals who are generous to allow us to draw water at this and all our times of need. God bless you!
Your MP
 

Lawyers have begun speaking out on Gukurahundi and election violence victims’ compensation with a program launched by top lawyer Alec Muchadehama touring the whole nation exploring various ways of performing truth and reconciliation programs.
…All perpetrators must admit wrong doing so that healing can work, and so that these things are not repeated, said top solicitor Alec Muchadehama. AUDIO:

DJ Munya, (real name Munyaradzi Milimo) who is on trial for kidnapping and murdering accused boyfriend of his wife, Tinashe Magorimbo, could walk free soon after the police failed to perform basic toxicology on the deceased’s body.
This came to light as it was revealed neighbouring South Africa cannot assist with forensic pathology services in the case of the Star FM presenter.
Milimo and his alleged accomplices, Taurai Janhi and Mohammed Matare, are facing murder charges through poisoning and their lawyer, Mr Lucky Mauwa, is making efforts to have them removed from remand.
In their fifth application for refusal of further remand, Mr Mauwa told the court that a letter from a law officer at the Prosecutor-General’s Office, Mr Albert Masamha, indicated that their South African counterparts could not assist in the matter.
“The letter from the law officer says they cannot be assisted by their South African counterparts.
“It is clear that the State is not ready, therefore there is no prejudice if the accused is removed from remand. They can proceed by way of summons if their house is in order,” he said.
However, Ms Sharon Mashavira applied that the matter be postponed to February 13 pending trial
“We are still awaiting indictment papers from the High Court and the record for the accused has been sent to the Prosecutor-General’s Office.
“It is not the State’s intention to infringe on the accused’s rights but murder cases are complex and they take long for investigations to be completed.
“We are in possession of a letter from law officer Mr Masamha and another from South Africa laboratories pertaining {to} test results of toxicology and histology, which have been dragging this matter,” she said.
Mr Mauwa has unsuccessfully made the same application in the past.
Ms Mashavira alleges that Magorimbo was murdered after failing to pay Milimo US$5 000 for having an affair with his wife. Magorimbo allegedly paid Milimo US$1 000 in February last year through Janhi and Matare as part payment of the US$5 000.
Milimo commissioned Janhi and Matare to “deal” with Magorimbo after he became evasive over the outstanding payment, the court heard.
In May, the group human resources director of Magorimbo’s employer, Premier Services Medical Investments, David Mandishona, allegedly received a text message demanding a US$5 000 ransom for the release of Magorimbo who had disappeared, the court heard.
On the same day, Milimo allegedly went to Magorimbo’s residence where he assured the deceased’s wife, Millicent, that her husband would return the following day, ordering her not to report to the disappearance to police.
The following day Magorimbo showed up naked and staggering, his hands tied with a shoelace, and collapsed as he approached the ground floor of his flat, the court heard.
He was rushed to West End Hospital in Harare where he was diagnosed with poisoning before he died the same day. – State Media

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has blasted Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa labeling him a stubborn or “unrepentant” ghost from the past.
Narrating his view that there is no hope with the current crop of government leadership, Morgan Tsvangirai said ZANU PF efforts to reform have only been plastic and void of substance.
 
Below was his full speech delivered
We meet again after a very bleak so called festive season at a time when the national predicament is worsening every day.
The signs of national leadership failure are now even more glaring for everyone to see, with government now literally lurching from one crisis to the other.With paralysis everywhere, the President, insensitive to the overwhelming national crisis, has delegated his appointed green lieutenants to manage the crisis whilst he goes on leave, to the extent of even extending the same.
For his age, it is understandable why our President would want to rest. But what he needs is not an annual holiday but to admit to his failure of leadership at this critical national hour of need. Surely, we cannot all be blind to the reality of his state of health, his age and his physical frailties.
2. The national crisis
As I said in my end of year statement 17 days ago, we are in the middle of a serious crisis. National revenue has dwindled and government is struggling to pay its own workers.There is no predictability on government policy as such policies are being changed every day.
In 2014, the economy contracted sharply, with GDP declining by between 10-14 percent, the same decline as during the economic collapse of 2008. The budget was $4,1 billion in 2014 while expenditure was $4,8 billion plus a revenue shortfall $300 million ,giving rise to a massive budget deficit of $1 billion or 22 percent of expenditure. This was funded mainly by short-term borrowings and creditors, giving rise to severe cash flow problems for 2015 and beyond.
The lesson is that Zimbabwe urgently needs to re-engage the international community for budgetary support if it were to meet essential social and other targets.
During 2014, FDIU inflows into Zimbabwe were only $160 million, compared to $5,7 billion in Mozambique. As a consequence, the liquidity situation has reached critical levels, with 10 commercial banks closing their doors since Zanu PF resumed control of the State in August 2013.
There is no respite in the ongoing financial collapse while business continues to suffer from the collapse of confidence as represented by the Stock Market which has declined by 40 percent since the election of 2013. Unemployment has continued to spiral in the past 18 months and is now threat to national stability. Ten percent of the national workforce has been made redundant as companies continue to close.
The parlous state of State enterprises is a sign of a collapsing government, with even the Grain Marketing Board offering workers bags of grain in place of salary arrears. Most of them are indebted, while the majority of the poor people in the country will not access health facilities as government owes in excess of $3 million to public hospitals.
The national budget and the government’s much-vaunted blueprint, ZimAsset, have failed to inspire growth and a positive impetus in the economy. In fact, the blueprint has proved to be much ado about nothing.
3.The façade of reform
There have been changes in the leadership of both Zanu PF and the government by the appointment of two new Vice Presidents. Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko were added into the cockpit of both party and government. It is simply a cosmetic change without any substantial impact on the direction of the country.
The newly appointed Vice Presidents have their work clearly cut out for them. But predictably, they cannot extricate themselves from Mugabe’s ruinous and disastrous legacy. They are entrapped in the same policy failure that has characterized Zanu PF governance culture in the past 35 years.
Attempts have been made by Mnangagwa, the acting President and some of his acolytes, to brand themselves as reformists when in fact they are unrepentant hardliners.
There are those who are so naïve as to believe that token changes in the cockpit can lead to realignment of our politics and that those token changes can spearhead a reform agenda.
These are leaders who were not elected but appointed to their positions. They have no mandate from the people and will simply do Mugabe’s bidding.
If Mnangagwa were sincere about reform, he would have pushed for the implementation of the Constitution in his capacity as Minister of Justice and leader of government business in Parliament. Any leader who is keen on genuine reform would have prioritized the implementation of the people’s charter endorsed by over three Zimbabweans in a referendum.
These latest Mugabe appointees are desperate to brand themselves as different and yet we know they have little room to maneuver outside the dictates of the appointing authority.
In the case of the acting President, he has a tainted record that Zimbabweans will never forget both in terms of his role in Gukurahundi, repression in the presidential runoff of 2008 as Minister of Defence and the electoral theft of 2013.
4. Defining the end-game—-The 2015 agenda and the way forward
Never in the history of the MDC have we faced a national challenge to find a solution to the end-game. Following our very successful Congress, a clear roadmap to the endgame was adopted and the implementation of those resolutions is our immediate task.
The following are the five areas of focus for 2015:
1. National Convergence Conference
In line with our Congress roadmap, we in the MDC are going to initiate the convening of the National Convergence Conference. After that conference, there will be a new roadmap, agreed across the political divide, to rescue this country from its current quagmire.
The national convergence conference will not be an MDC platform but a platform for all players in their diversity to agree on the national grievances and together chart the way forward for the country.
The idea of a national convergence conference arose after a realization that the national crisis is affecting every Zimbabwean despite, our political, racial and ethnic differences.
We shall be calling political parties, civic groups, the church, war veterans and other independent groups and individuals to come together so that we can discuss the national crisis and agree on the way forward. This is an opportunity for all of us in our diversity to mobilize the national sentiment for a national solution.
2. Rolling out a national and global campaign to liberate the people
As we have said before, we reserve the right to mobilize the people of Zimbabwe around the national grievances agreed under the convergence conference. There will also be an attendant global campaign to sensitize the region, Africa and the world on the crisis in the country and the need to return to legitimacy.
Stopping Zanu PF must not only be a national campaign. Liberating the people of Zimbabwe must be a global cause.
We have written to SADC Heads of State warning them of a possible implosion in Zimbabwe. SADC and the AU must appreciate that the declining economic situation and the implosion in Zanu PF as the party in government has far-reaching consequences for stability, democratisation and development in the region.
3. Implementation of the reform agenda (Constitutional and Electoral reforms).
Subsequent to the national and global campaign, there has to be expedient and urgent implementation of the genuine reforms, including Constitutional, electoral and other reforms agreed under the auspices of SADC and the AU as key to the conduct of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe.
4. Campaign for national elections and the return to legitimacy
Implementation of agreed key reforms should then be followed by free, fair and credible election that does not breed a contested outcome.
5. Economic and Social Transformation
Economic and social transformation is the fifth and last signpost that should be the responsibility of the legitimate government after the free, fair and credible election.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the MDC faces a historic challenge of completing the post-liberation democratization agenda. We are aware of our historical mandate to deliver positive transformation in the lives of the people.
As I have stated often-times, we reserve our right as a party to mobilize the people of Zimbabwe to engage in legitimate and constitutionally permissible action to petition government on any of the national grievances affecting ordinary Zimbabweans in their diversity.
And yes, we dare not fail in that goal.
And yes, in our diversity we shall attend the national convergence conference designed to map the way forward for our beloved country.
In the MDC, we believe in this country becoming a dignified home to all its citizens.
Farmers, housewives, students, business people, labour, the church and the unemployed deserve a dignified country with abundant and equal opportunities for all.
The MDC is calling for unity of purpose by all democratic forces. Now is the time for the broader democratic movement to unite and rally together in finding a solution to the crisis we face as a nation. We should not allow egos and petty differences to stand in the way of the noble agenda to bring change in the country and to positively transform the lives of the people.
We will not rest until we achieve that historical obligation well within our lifetime.
I thank you.

There was outrage in the UK yesterday when the British government denied the grandparents of Andrea Gada,a 5 year old girl who was killed by a motorist in Eastbourne on the 16th December, visas.
The five-year-old’s funeral has since been postponed to a date to be announced.
Andrea died three weeks ago, on December 17th after being hit by a car on Friday Street the day before. She was flown to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, South London, but died of her injuries. Her funeral service was set to take place on Friday (January 9) at Seventh-day Adventist Church, Hailsham Road, Polegate at 11.30am, but has since been postponed.
Her mother Charity and dad Wellington had arranged Andrea’s funeral for Friday (January 9), and the community rallied round and raised £5,000 for the funeral and to help fly family members over – including Andrea’s grandparents.However, when Andrea’s parents, Mr and Mrs Gada, applied for a visa for their relatives to attend, the request was denied.
Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd said he was ‘angry’ at the ‘callousness’ of the Home Office in refusing the visas for the grief-stricken family.

 
Mr Lloyd said, “This awful accident has shocked us all. Eastbourne has done what it does best in difficult situations like this and rallied around in support as a community. I was dismayed therefore to discover that the Immigration Services have refused point blank to issue visas for the family to come over from Zimbabwe to attend little Andrea’s funeral. This is despite Mr and Mrs Gada giving me a categorical assurance the grandparents and aunt would be returning home soon after paying their respects.
“I am extremely angry at the callousness shown by the Home Office. To me this is an immigration decision which lacks compassion and basic decency; attributes which I know are front and centre with the vast majority of British people. I have written a further urgent letter to the Immigration Minister, James Brokenshire MP, asking that he intervene and reconsider his officials’ decision. A young girl has died tragically.
“My constituents have rallied round superbly so the devastated mother and father can bring her parents from Zimbabwe to help support them at this immensely difficult time. For the sake of everything that is good about our country – its tolerance, compassion, strong support of family, and profound sense of shared community, exemplified by the way in which Eastbourne has pulled together to help the Gadas, I implore the Minister to do the right thing; grant this grief-stricken family the temporary travel visas, and allow their kith and kin to pay their last respects to little Andrea.” – Eastbourne Herald/Additional Reporting

A MAN of no fixed abode, allegedly lured a nine-year-old Makokoba girl to West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo, where he is said to have raped her once before choking and leaving her unconscious, a court heard yesterday.
Elias Siampande (63) originally from Binga, was not asked to plead to the rape charge when he appeared before Bulawayo senior magistrate Sibongile Msipa Marondedze yesterday.
The magistrate remanded him in custody to January 20th.
The court heard that on December 27th last year at 5pm, Siampande met the girl at the canteen gate of MaDlodlo Beer Garden in Makokoba, where she was coming from her mother’s kitchen.
He asked her to assist him to carry his loaves of bread from his house and she agreed.
It is the State’s case, that instead of going to the said house, he led the girl to a bushy area near West Park Cemetery, where he pushed her to the ground before stripping off her pants and raping her once.
The girl screamed, but Siampande choked her until she fell unconscious before leaving her there.
The girl later gained consciousness and looked for her clothes, but could not find them.
She then wrapped a jersey around her body and walked towards Makokoba, where she met Sibonisiwe Dube, who accompanied her to her home.
They met the girl’s mother, who was already looking for her and the child narrated her ordeal.
The mother then reported the matter to the police at Mzilikazi.
Siampande was arrested on January 4 2015 in Lobengula at MaMkhwananzi beer garden. – SouthernEye

POLICE yesterday swooped on Manzou Farm in Mazowe and forcibly evicted more than 200 villagers after demolishing their homes, to pave way for the First Lady Grace Mugabe’s planned private wildlife sanctuary project.
Some of the affected villagers, who left behind thriving maize crops, said about six truckloads of armed police officers stormed the area in the morning and demolished their pole and dagga houses.
In instances where villagers were not at home, the police allegedly just stormed into their houses and threw out their property, before pulling down the structures.
Two villagers identified as Paradzai Kazingizi and Misheck Matema were forced to flee, as police chased them after they attempted to resist the demolitions.
When our sister paper NewsDay arrived at the farm, hordes of villagers sat pensively besides their belongings pondering their next move, while a thick cloud hovered over the area, as it threatened to rain, further compounding their situation.
“They (police) came this morning (yesterday) and ordered us to remove our belongings from houses,” Canaan Chamboko, a villager said.
“They destroyed the houses using our hoes, axes and their equipment.
“They told us to go where we were before we moved to Manzou Farm way back in 2000.”
The villagers were being ordered out of Spenenken and Anorld farms, which form Manzou Estate.
Some of the villagers claimed that the First Lady wanted to set up a game park, apart from mining gold that was reportedly abundant on the farm.
“The police told us that all the people from Spenenken and Anorld farms should vacate,” Dernboy Chaparadza, another villager, said.
“We did not resist eviction, but they should allocate us alternative land in line with the High Court ruling made last year.”
Last March, police destroyed homes and evicted over 700 villagers from the same farm, allegedly at the instigation of the First Family.
The villagers were later dumped in Rushinga, Lazy and Blagdon farms in Concession before they took legal action and won a High Court reprieve to stay at the property until they had been allocated an alternative piece of land to settle.
Villagers then started trooping back on the strength of the High Court order.
“We voted for Zanu PF, but they treat us like we are nothing,” Chaparadza said.
“They only want us towards elections and dump us after.
“They have destroyed the industry and some of us, although we are professionals, now live on subsistence farming and now they take land away from us, how do they expect us to survive?”
Another villager, Innocent Dube added: “We have elderly relatives and children, what are we going to do with them in the open this rainy season?
“Look, very soon it will be raining and out homes have been destroyed”.
The villagers said the sad thing was that efforts to evict them were always made during the summer cropping season.
“Is that how we should treat each other in an independent Zimbabwe?” a female villager quipped.
The villagers said they had been staying at the farm under the 2006 Rural Land Occupiers Act and efforts to regularise their stay had been hitting a brickwall since they moved in at the height of the land reform in 2000.
Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba and principal director (State Residences) Dzepasi Innocent Tizora, could not be reached for comment yesterday. – SouthernEye

The five year old land ownership dispute between Chisumbanje villagers villagers and Billy Rautenbach’s Green Fuel Company has resurfaced again with ugly clashes resulting in the detaining of a one year toddler being witnessed in the area.
The one year toddler Ashley Mugovera was detained at Chisumbanje police station on Monday together with her mother Regina Chigidi after being picked while they were busy in the contested fields in the Chinyamukwakwa area of Chisumbanje.
Speaking to this reporter, the mother of the toddler, Regina Chigidi said they were arrested together with four other villagers including Kazi Mugovera, Florence Mugovera, Samson Mugovera and Chipo Chiripinda.
“We were busy in our fields when we saw police officers wielding button sticks disembarking from a police truck approaching towards us and we never bothered because this has been our land for years,” said Chigidi.
She added that the police officers ordered them to stop what they were doing and when they questioned why they were being forced off their fields, they were arrested and taken to Chisumbanje police station.
The police later returned and arrested Vaina Ndlovu, Edmore Ndlovu and Hasani Simango who were all detained at the police holding cells for three days.
An eye witness from the area, Samson Mashava said the police fired teargas to disperse villagers who were resisting being evicted from their fields.
“The police officers, who have become a permanent feature in our area, came and fired teargas to disperse the villagers who were asking to know why they were being forced out of their pieces of land,” said Mashava.
He further questioned why Green Fuel was acting in bad faith by grabbing what was rightfully theirs and using police officers when they know that there is no clarity over ownership of that land in question.
During the arrests, there was drama as police and farmers chased after each in an epic battle that lasted for almost an hour.
Member in Charge at Chisumbanje Police only referred to as Nyamuzinga could not entertain the media, saying he had no power to comment on the issue.
Claris Madhuku who is a community representative and the Director of Platform for Youth Development, a youth pressure group fighting for land justice condemned the continued arrest and harassment of villagers as inhumane and very political.
“We will have to consider suing some of the arresting police officers and the Member in Charge for this insensitive and unlawful arrest of innocent villagers due to police overzealousness despite the land dispute and boundary challenges being well recorded and can only be
settled through dialogue and not through arrests ” Madhuku fumed.

[lightbox link=”http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images//2015/01/nursescartoon.jpg” thumb=”http://www.zimeye.com/wp-content/live_images//2015/01/nursescartoon.jpg” width=”640″ align=”right” title=”nursescartoon” frame=”true” icon=”image” caption=””]Nurses at Zimbabwe’s major state hospitals have started a go-slow, with doctors threatening to join them if their bonuses, which were due on the 2nd of January 2015, are not paid by Friday this week.
People visiting patients at Parirenyatwa Hospital confirmed that service delivery is markedly slower, with nurses on duty taking longer to attend to patients, leading to queues getting longer.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) yesterday gave the government an ultimatum to pay outstanding bonuses by Friday the 9th of this month before nurses withdraw their services by Monday next week if their grievances are not addressed.
The crisis could be crippling as doctors say they are in ‘full solidarity with the proposed industrial action by nurses.’
“ZHDA [Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors Association] wishes to advice the Health Service Board, our employer that it will be very difficult for doctors to discharge their duties in the absence of nurses in our hospitals. A swift response to avert this looming nationwide strike is required first by providing bonuses, revising the pay and allowances structure for health workers this January as per the last meeting of the Bipartite Negotiating Forum and lastly engaging all health workers into meaningful negotiations for revising health workers salaries,” said ZHDA President, Dr Fortune Nyamande in a statement.
The government had promised to pay nurses their bonuses in the beginning of January.
ZBC is in possession of a memorandum (dated 12 December 2014) from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mr Willard Manungo, addressed to the Civil Service Commission Chairman, Mr Mariyawanda Nzuwa with treasury committing to pay nurses bonuses on the 2nd of January.
Health Services Board (HSB) Public Relations Officer, Mr Nyasha Maravanyika confirmed that after receiving the memo, they sent circulars to health institutions notifying workers they were to get their bonuses on the 2nd of this month.
In October and November last year, junior doctors went on strike for weeks before they called off the industrial action.
The doctors who participated in the strike had their salaries slashed as punishment.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) says the breakdown of dialogue in the civil service has destroyed all efforts to negotiate salaries and packages for teachers.
The teachers say the absence of the National Joint Negotiating Forum where government and workers used to meet has made it difficult for workers to hold wage and benefits bargaining meetings.
Apex Council Chairperson, Mr Richard Gundani said it is government which has not acted in good faith as it is yet to appoint a team leader to represent its interests.
Contacted for comment, the Acting Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Walter Mzembi called on the teachers to exercise restraint and wait for the recently appointed substantive minister, Cde Prisca Mupfumira to address the issues which government is well aware of.
Teachers also called on government to focus on the national curriculum review exercise by ensuring the capacitating of teachers as the drivers of the programme is well funded.
Almost 16 years since the completion of the Nziramasanga Report, implementation of the recommendations set to revive the curriculum are yet to take off the ground.

Women forcing men to have sexual intercourse with them at gun point along the country’s highways have resurfaced along the Masvingo- Beitbridge road.
Three cases have so far been reported with the latest being on the Sunday the 4th of January.
Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the cases.
According to the information from the police, a 22-year-old Zimbabwean working in South Africa boarded an unregistered Nissan X-Trail vehicle from Beitbridge going to Harare at around 1900 hrs on Sunday.
The vehicle had three people one male who was driving and two females who pretended to be strangers.
Upon reaching Chivi turn off, the vehicle turned along the Tokwe-Mhandamabwe road and stopped after travelling for about four kilometres.
The man was robbed of his mobile phone, US$150 and 4000 rand at gun point.
The accused persons drove three kilometres further where a Toyota Gaia with two female adults emerged.
The women had pistols.
The complainant, whose hands had been tied, was then forcibly injected with an unknown substance by the man and forced to have sexual intercourse with the three women.
Senior Assistant Commissioner Charamba urged the public to desist boarding private vehicles especially unregistered Toyota Gaia, Toyota Ipsum, Toyota Noah, Toyota Duet and Toyota Vitz vehicles as they are mostly used by unscrupulous people. -ZBC

There was violence in Harare when a woman, and wife of an intelligence officer completely disrobed herself as she prepared to beat up her hubby who had strayed away with prostitutes in a Hatfield beer-hall.
 
The man, (name withheld) was at the time squandering his bonus with several ladies of the night at the Jongwe Corner, a bar in Hatfield on Christmas night.
 
The woman, (name withheld) is a well known Domboshawa businesswoman.
 
As seen in the following video shot during the very heat of the drama, she is heard refusing to be silenced and violently bludgeoning her way into the pub as the surrounding crowd tries to restrain and tell her to put her clothes or at least a Zambia-cloth on.
 
But she continues emotionally protesting, “Ndirikuda kutaura nemurume wangu. Anomutorera chii everytime?; Anomutorera chii – Why does she take him away from me everytime,” she tells ZimEye.com.
 
She then continues while being asked to cool down since her husband had allegedly moved away from the building. But she remains convinced he is hiding somewhere in the building “Ndiye arikuziva kwa ayenda – he is the one who knows where she went,” she said referring to her hubby’s girlfriend.
 
When told she would not be allowed to enter the pub stark naked and asked to wear clothes, she relentlessly replies, “Hazvina basa izvi!”
 
She then goes inside to the stage area where the man has been hiding and determinedly fights with her husband while still stark naked. The husband gets a hard thrashing while the woman sits on his chest and then the man runs for dear life with the wife in pursuit for about 200 metres towards Seke road.
 
After the chase, she is still refusing to get dressed insisting on going back to the club naked this time to deal with the so called prostitute. She is then eventually thrown out by the pub’s security men. Refresh this page in 40 Minutes. To get the video via WhatsApp, send your request to +263783322419 SUBSCRIBE TO ZimEye.com for more breaking news.

Violent CIO Wife Strips Naked Bludgeons Husband by zimeye
 

Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party has furiously protested to the installing of 32 additional tollgates by the Zimbabwe roads authority, Zinara, which comes at a time when the body’s managers were stealing millions and a recent audit revealed $40million has been systematically looted (READ MORE).
Below was the party’s official statement in full:
The MDC is appalled by the decision of the Zanu PF regime to roll out 32 additional tollgates across the country at a time when the majority of the people of Zimbabwe are living in abject poverty and squalor.
In 2014, the Zanu PF regime collected a total amount of US$132 million from the 24 tollgates that are already in place. It is abundantly clear that the sum of US$132 million that was collected in 2014 from the 24 tollgate has been misused and abused by the rogue Zanu PF regime. The country’s major roads remain in a dilapidated condition and indeed, there is no single tarred road in Zimbabwe that is not littered with huge potholes.
Motorists are called to pay money at the country’s existing 24 tollgates but apparently, the money is not chanelled to the intended purpose of road maintenance as well as road construction. Zimbabwe’s roads are now a death trap, mainly due to the failure by the Zanu PF
regime to properly and constantly maintain the country’s highways using money collected from the existing 24 tollgates. Instead of maintaining the country’s roads using the tollgate fees, the rogue Zanu PF regime diverts the money collected at the tollgates to pay civil servants’ salaries as well as bankrolling the wasteful expenditure of the bloated bureaucracy that includes several ministers and deputy ministers.
The decision to construct 32 additional tollgates across the country is thus, solely meant to extort more money from motorists in order to fund Robert Mugabe’s extended holiday jamborees as well as to pay for his numerous overseas trips, mainly to the far East.
The MDC strenuously condemns the Zanu PF regime’s decision to construct 32 additional tollgates instead of using the money collected at the existing 24 tollgates to rehabilitate the country’s collapsed road infrastructure.
We have stated it before, and we repeat it here and now: that Zanu PF regime is not fit for purpose and that the people of Zimbabwe shall continue to wallow in poverty for as long as this corrupt and rogue regime remains in office.
The MDC calls upon the patriotic people of Zimbabwe to thunderously oppose and resist the proposed construction of 32 additional tollgates.

An undertaker at one of the top funeral parlours in Gokwe, GFA, was caught pleasuring himself on a corpse, an incident that has left Gokwe Hospital staff members in both shock and fear.
The body belonged to a top businesswoman who died just before the new year of a long illness.
The man, who has begged reporters not to be named, per his own admissions was caught pants down while lifting himself from the ground as two nurses rushed entering in at the door just as semen fluids were seen flowing down from his manhood and also at the deceased’s lower abdomen whose corpse lay on the floor.
The mortuary attendant is now locked in a bitter wrangle with relatives of a late former business woman, whose corpse was sexually abused during an embalming session by the undertaker.
According to a close relative of the late businesswoman who cannot be named to protect the dignity of the late respected mother, the undertaker took advantage of the situation at the referral hospital and sexually abused the corpse before he was caught in the act by two staff members who were bringing a cadaver to the same morgue. So terrified were the staffers(names withheld) that they say they did not think of reporting the incident to the police.
“After he was caught in the act by hospital staff, they (staff members) notified us before reporting the matter to hospital senior officials. We agreed that he would pay four beasts as compensation, which he agreed and he paid three, promising to pay the last beast after the burial of our sister. He is still to pay the beast and this is now in breach of the agreed period,” said the relative who identified herself and (aunt) Mai Manyoni.
The relative also told ZimEye.com that the undertaker messed the corpse while he was making love to the late woman, as semen was noticed in her legs and dress. “We cleaned his semen from our sister’s body, so he must respect us and honour his debt,” said the aunt.
The undertaker in question who pleaded not to be named in the press, admitted to the circumstance to ZimEye.com and begged with the family to give him time to settle the debt. “I am not refusing to give them the last beast, but the problem is with my other family members who are also punishing me saying why did I do such a thing…”
The man may have endangered himself since businesswoman is said to have died of a long illness.
Relatives of the late businesswoman have since given the undertaker up to three months to pay off his debt or risk legal action. “We will give him up to the end of February this year before we take legal action, as everything is in black and white, with his signature, admitting what he did and his promise of paying off the penalty,” said the deceased’s sister.
 
Asked to comment on sexual abuse of more corpses at the hospital, Gokwe hospital officials who refused to be identified appeared to admit to the circumstances, but referred all questions to the Ministry of health for official press comments.
Meanwhile, a police docket was being opened against the man at the time of writing, and this reporter was told by a police source an arrest would be actioned on the offender.

The 30 pythons found on a grave in Masvingo were placed there by a gang of witches, Zaka residents have said. Following the publication of this story by the State Media, headman John Chivambo told this reporter via Whatsapp, the snakes were placed there by witch doctors intending to cause alarm in the community while enhancing their businesses.
“Vakatowonekwa kakawanda vachimbeya mbeya ipapo vhiki rapera iro – [They were seen litering there last week] Tinovaziva vese vana Matuture, navana Sibanda, hakunazve imwe zhira yekuti nyoka dzinawanikwa pa marinda kana dzisina kuiswa ne vanhu” he said.
STATE MEDIA REPORT: ZIMHOFU villagers under Chief Ndanga area in Zaka are in shock after more than 30 pythons were found on top of a grave on Sunday morning. The villagers, most of whom are superstitious, explained away the rare sight as an act of witchcraft.
Chief Ndanga confirmed the incident.
He said the shocking incident which was witnessed by more than 40 villagers occurred around 9AM.
“I can confirm the incident but I’m yet to get finer details. It’s true that snakes were seen coming out of a grave at a local cemetery. I’m, however, not sure about the number of these reptiles. I heard that they were many,” said Chief Ndanga.
A still shaken village head, Jeremiah Matumbike, said the incident was the first of its kind.
He said the local leadership was in the process of trying to locate and identify the family connected to the “strange” grave.
Matumbike said once identified, he would ask the family to seek assistance from a prophet or sangoma for an explanation of the strange happening.
“The incident is a rare sight. I saw the snakes myself, more than 30 pythons, coming out of the grave. I’m perplexed and would want to know the meaning of this unusual incident.
“The family concerned should seek divine intervention or consult a sangoma. This could be an act of witchcraft,” said Matumbike.
He said snakes were rare species in the area, hence a report was quickly made to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority whose personnel attended the scene and managed to capture some of the snakes.
Matumbike said the entire village was in shock and none seemed to comprehend the significance of the strange incident.
“We’ve never seen a python in this area until now. Something big or strange is going to happen either to the area or concerned family. These pythons could be a warning. It could be that the spirits are angry and want to be given their due respect. About 50 villagers witnessed the incident. A formal report was made to Parks and Wildlife Management.
“Officials attended the scene and managed to capture only 20 pythons as they were disturbed by heavy rains.”
Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo dismissed talk that the incident could be an act of witchcraft.
“It’s typical of a python to give birth to many snakelets or hatchlings and there’s nothing cultural about this incident,” she said.
However, a renowned Bulawayo traditional healer, Cornelius Ncube, said traditionally it was taboo for a python to be seen at or near a grave.
He associated the incident with witchcraft.
“I don’t believe these were simply pythons, but goblins. Snakes don’t move in groups. The dead might be communicating a special message to the living using these pythons.
“Relatives of the dead should dig deeper in working out a solution to this mystery,” Ncube said.

A woman from Mzilikazi in Bulawayo has struck her sister’s mother-in-law with a brick after she refused to allow her to take her niece.
Sizalokuhle Siwela pleaded guilty to assaulting her sister’s mother-in-law, Senzeni Masuku, with a brick when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashinga yesterday, but said the mother-in-law was the aggressor and she was just retaliating.
The magistrate convicted and remanded her out of custody to January 15 for sentencing.
“Why did you assault someone regarded as your mother-in-law?” asked Tashinga. “She was the one who started the fight,” Siwela responded.
“I had a child strapped to my back and she was the aggressor, so I retaliated.” The court heard that on December 30 last year Siwela and her younger sister went to Masuku’s home in Mzilikazi to collect her sister’s child from the mother-in-law, the child’s grandmother.
It is the State’s case that when she raised the issue with Masuku, there was misunderstanding between them, as the mother-in-law refused to allow the child to go with her mother. Siwela picked a brick and struck Masuku once on the face with it.
Masuku sustained a deep cut and was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital, where she received treatment. A report was made to the police, leading to Siwela’s arrest. southern eye

CAPTURED fugitive Johanne Masowe eChishanu leader Ishmael Chokurongerwa was yesterday denied bail after he was deemed a flight risk and remanded in custody to February 20 this year after he was implicated in the assault of police officers at his shrine in Budiriro, Harare, last year.
Provincial magistrate Milton Serima dismissed as unfounded Chokurongerwa’s claims that he was not present when his church members attacked police officers, journalists and members of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) when they visited his shrine in May last year.
“The court finds it quite surprising to hear the accused through his lawyer claiming that he was not present when the violence occurred,” Serima said.
“Some of his church members were charged and convicted of the same offence, now that he is aware that his members were imprisoned it is most likely that he will abscond and not attend trial.”
The magistrate further said one would wonder why Chokurongerwa (44) did not show up at the shrine for over seven months after learning that violence had erupted at the shrine if his claim of being absent from the scene was to be believed.
The State alleges that on May 30 last year, ACCZ president Johannes Ndanga, his delegation and 26 police officers visited Johanne Masowe eChishanu’s site at Budiriro 2 in Harare to address the gathering over issues of child abuse.
It is alleged when Ndanga began reading the document, the gathering started singing their church songs and Chokurongerwa challenged him to speak in Shona and not in English.
At that juncture Ndanga is alleged to have ordered the police to arrest Chokurongerwa accusing him of interjecting his speech.
The court heard Chokurongerwa allegedly started singing an inciting song called Umambo hwepfumo neropa (The Kingdom of the Spear and Blood) following which Ndanga, his delegation, police and journalists were severely assaulted.
Eleven members from Chokurongerwa’s church were last November slapped with a five-year jail term each for the same offence.
They have since lodged an appeal against both conviction and sentence at the High Court and the matter is yet to be set down for hearing. SouthernEye